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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

Ex  Libris 

Katharine  F.  Richmond 

and 

Heniy  C.  Fall 


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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

Microsoft  Corporation 


-http://www.archive.org/details/addressdeliveredOOpeabiala 


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AN 

ADDRESS, 

DELIVERED     AT     THE 

CENTENNIAL      CELEBRATION 

IN 

WILTON,    N.    H.,   Sept.  25,    1839. 

BY     EPHRAIM    PEABODY. 

WITH     AN     APPENDIX. 

MmUw; 

PUBLISHED     BY     B.     H.     GREENE. 

PRINTED       BY       I.       R.       BUTTS. 

1839. 

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AN 


ADDRESS, 


DELIVERED     AT     THE 


CENTENNIAL      CELEBRATION 


IN 


WILTON,    N.    H.,   Sept.  25,   1839. 


BY    EPHRAIM    PEABODY. 


WITH     AN     APPENDIX. 


PUBLISHED     BY     B.     H.     GREENE. 

PRINTED       BY       I.       R.       BUTTS. 

1839. 


vivri 


At  a  legal  Town-meeting  held  April  30, 1839,  it  was  "  Voted,  That 
the  Town,  some  day  in  the  course  of  the  present  year,  celebrate  the 
One  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  the  settlement  of  the  same."  The 
town  at  the  same  time  appropriated  a  sum  of  money  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  Celebration. 

It  was  also  "  Voted,  That  a  copy  of  the  Address  to  be  then  delivered, 
be  furnished,  if  printed,  to  each  family  in  the  town,  at  the  town's  ex- 
pense."— The  following  gentlemen  were  chosen  for  the  Committee  of 
Arrangements,  viz.  Messrs.  Jonathan  Livermore,  Jonathan  Parkhurst, 
Zebediah  Abbot,  David  Wilson,  Ezra  Abbot,  Abel  Fisk,  Joseph  Smith, 
Abram  Whittemore,  John  Dale,  Elijah  Stockwell,  Caleb  Putnam,  Josi- 
ah  Parker,  Daniel  Batchelder,  Oliver  Whiting,  Asa  Stiles,  Sam'l  King, 
Moses  Lovejoy,  Jr.,  Joseph  Newell,  Joseph  Gray,  Jr.,  Timothy  Park- 
hurst, Samuel  Sheldon,  Jr.,  Timothy  Abbot,  Jonathan  Burton,  Ashby 
Morgan.     The  25th  day  of  September  was  appointed  for  the  festival. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Committee  of  Arrangements,  Jonathan  Liver- 
more,  Timothy  Parkhurst,  Abel  Fiske  and  Abiel  Abbot  were  ap- 
pointed a  sub-committee  to  collect  materials  respecting  the  history  of 
Wilton  for  the  Address,  and  were  instructed  to  invite  Rev.  Ephraim 
Peabody,  of  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  to  prepare  said  Address. 

After  the  day  of  celebration,  Jonathan  Livermore  and  Abiel  Abbot 
were  appointed  a  publishing  committee.  Having  requested  and  received 
a  copy  of  the  Address,  they  have  added  to  it  such  statistical  details  as 
they  have  thought  might  be  interesting,  and  also  an  account  of  the 
Proceedings  on  the  Day  of  Celebration  ;  all  of  which  they  now  sub- 
mit to  their  fellow  citizens  of  Wilton. 

JONATHAN  LIVERMORE. 
ABIEL  ABBOT. 


ADDRESS. 


We  meet  this  day  to  commemorate  our  Fathers. 
Around  us  are  the  products  of  their  toil.  In  laborious 
poverty  they  accumulated  this  abundance  for  their 
children.  Our  comforts  speak  of  their  hardships ;  our 
advantages,  of  their  deprivations.  On  every  side,  are 
the  proofs  of  their  thoughtful,  self-forgetting  care  for 
the  welfare  of  their  descendants.  Here  are  the  institu- 
tions established  by  their  wise  foresight ;  on  every  side, 
lying  warm  in  the  sun,  spread  out  the  cultivated  fields, 
freed  by  their  labor  from  the  forest ;  here  yet  may  be 
seen  the  foundations  of  their  dwellings ;  and  here  too 
—  forever  sacred  let  them  be  !  —  are  their  graves. 

We  stand  on  the  horizon  that  divides  two  centuries. 
As  the  subject  suitable  for  the  occasion,  I  would  dwell, 
first ;  on  the  history  of  the  town  during  the  past  cen- 
tury ;  —  and  secondly,  a  topic  suggested  by  the  pre- 
ceding one,  consider  some  of  the  chief  causes  on  which 
our  New  England  towns  have  been  dependent  for  their 
growth  and  prosperity. 


When  we  point  to  a  well-peopled  town,  to  a  commu- 
nity possessing  all  the  comforts  and  desirable  luxuries  of 
life,  and  blest  with  settled  institutions  to  bring  within 
reach  of  all  the  means  of  mental,  moral,  and  relig- 
ious instruction,  and  then  say  that  a  hundred  years  ago 
none  of  these  existed ;  that  the  region  which  is  now 
sending  emigrants  over  the  whole  world,  was  then  itself 
first  explored  by  emigrants  who  watched  against  the 
Indian,  the  wolf  and  the  bear;  we  see  the  whole 
amount  of  change,  but  we  have  a  very  imperfect  idea 
of  the  hardships  and  labors  encountered  in  bringing  it 
about.  A  single  incident  may  show  us  through  what 
our  fathers  passed.  The  first  death  that  occurred  was 
that  of  John  Badger,  in  Feb.  1740.  He  died  in  the  night. 
The  nearest  neighbor  was  three  mi'es  distant,  and  the 
ground  was  covered  deep  with  snow.  His  wife  com- 
posed him  on  the  bed  as  for  rest,  left  her  children,  (of 
whom  she  had  three,  the  oldest  but  eight  years  of  age,) 
with  their  breakfast,  and  with  strict  injunctions  not  to 
awake  their  father,  as  he  was  asleep,  and  putting  on  her 
snow-shoes  proceeded  to  seek  assistance.  That  indeed 
was  a  dreary  morning  as  she  went  forth  through  the  soli- 
tary woods  of  winter.  Death  is  in  her  home,  and  her 
children  wait  her  return.  Uphold  her  trembling  heart, 
thou  Father  of  the  fatherless  and  the  widow's  God ! 
Neighbors  returned  with  her.  A  tree  was  hollowed 
out  for  a  coffin,  and  so  in  the  solitude  was  he  committed 
to  the  earth.  Death  at  all  times  comes,  chilling  the 
hearts  of  men  with  awe  and  fear.  Even  in  populous 
cities,  in  the  midst  of  the  throng  and  busy  voices  of  life, 
an  awful  sense  of  solitude  rests  on  those  who  witness  the 
departure  of  the  dying ;  and  days  and  years  shall  pass, 
and  they  who  beheld  the  scene  shall  enter  that  chamber 


with  silent  steps  and  hushed  voices  and  a  shadow  over 
their  souls.  What  then  must  have  been  her  loneliness, 
—  a  solitary  widow  in  the  wilderness.  She  must  watch 
by  the  bedside  of  her  children  alone ;  her  tears  shall 
be  shed  alone  —  she  shall  no  more  kneel  by  her  hus- 
band's side  to  pray  —  his  voice  shall  no  more  waken 
her  at  morning,  and  when  the  night  approaches  she 
shall  unconsciously  look  forth  to  the  forest,  watching 
for  his  return,  who  shall  never  return  again. 

A  single  example  like  this  shows  the  hardships  of  the 
first  settlers  of  a  new  region,  better  than  any  general 
description,  however  extended.  But  turning  from  the 
deprivations  to  which  individuals  were  subjected,  it  may 
be  interesting  for  us  to  trace  briefly  the  gradual  growth 
of  the  town. 

In  June,  1735,  the  Massachusetts  General  Court 
granted  to  Samuel  King  and  others,*  in  consideration 
"  of  their  sufferings  "  in  the  expedition  to  Canada  in  the 
year  1690,  the  township  of  Lyndeborough  and  about 
one  third  of  Wilton  on  the  north  side,  under  the  name 
of  Salem  Canada.  In  this  part  of  Wilton,  in  June, 
1739,  was  the  first  settlement  made.  The  first  settlers 
were  Ephraim   and  Jacob   Putnam   and  John  Dale,f 

*  We  are  indebted  to  Joseph  H.  Abbot,  Esq.  for  consulting  the  records  of  the 
General  Court  of  Massachusetts  on  this  point,  where  under  date  of  June  19,  1735, 
the  petition  of  King  may  be  found.  A  copy  of  the  same  has  been-  deposited 
by  Mr.  Abbot  in  the  Wilton  ministerial  library. 

t  For  the  first  three  years  after  the  settlement  of  Wilton,  the  wife  of  Jacob 
Putnam  was  the  only  woman  who  resided  permanently  in  the  town.  During  one 
winter,  such  was  the  depth  of  snow  in  the  woods  and  such  the  distance  of  neigh- 
bors, that  for  the  space  of  six  months,  she  saw  no  one  except  the  members  of  her 
own  family.  A  part  of  the  farm  which  belonged  to  Jacob  Putnam,  is  still  in  the 
possession  of  his  grandson,  Caleb  Putnam,  who  on  the  day  of  the  centennial  cele- 
bration exhibited  at  the  meeting-house,  a  hill  of  corn  raised  on  the  land  where  a 
settlement  was  made  a  hundred  years  before. 

The  farm  which  was  owned  by  John  Dale  is  also  now  m  the  possession  of  his 
grandson,  John  Dale.    This  year  he   raises  upon   it   more   than   four  hundred 


8 

who  removed  to  this  place  from  Danvers,  Massachu- 
setts. 

In  1749,  the  Masonian  Proprietors  made  a  grant  of 
the  rest  of  the  town,  under  certain  conditions,  to  forty- 
six  persons.      Forty-six  shares  were  conveyed  to  them 
by  a  deed,  dated  October  1,  1749,  each  share  containing 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  to  be  drawn  by  lot.   Besides 
these,  two  lots  of  eighty  acres  each,  were  granted  "  for 
encouragement  for  building  mills."     One  share  for  the 
first  settled  minister,  one  share  for  the  ministry  and  one 
for  schools.      The  principal  conditions  were,  that  the 
grantees  should  make  all  highways,  —  the  proprietors 
not  being  subject  to  any  tax ;  —  should  build  a  church  by 
November,  1752; — should  have  made  settlements  and 
built  a  house  on  forty  lots ;  and  that  each  settler  should 
pay  thirteen  dollars  and   thirty-three   cents  to  aid  in 
bringing  forward  the  settlement.     Delinquents  were  to 
forfeit  their  land,  except  in  case  of  an  Indian  war ;  — 
and  white  pine  trees  were  to  be  reserved  for  the  British 
navy.     The  grantees  had  it  laid  out,  and  annexed  to  a 
part  of  Salem  Canada,  and  called  No.  2.     It  was  incor- 
porated June  25th,  1762,  under  the  name  of  Wilton, 
a  name  probably  derived  from  Wilton   an  ancient  bor- 
ough in  Wiltshire,  England ;  and  the  first  town-meet- 
ing was  held  July  27th,  1762,  twenty-three  years  after 
the  first  settlement.     Before  the  Revolution,  a  range  of 


bushels  of  grain.  The  house  that  he  now  resides  in,  was  the  first  two  story  frame 
house  in  town.  A  man  was  killed  in  the  raising  of  it  —  an  iron  bar  falling  acci- 
dentally on  his  head  from  the  hands  of  a  man  on  the  frame  above,  and  killing  him 
instantly. 

John  Dale's  (the  first  settler)  eldest  daughter  taught  the  first  school  in  town, 
and  for  some  years  was  the  only  female  teacher. 

Ephraim  Putnam,  the  remaining  one  of  the  first  settlers,  after  residing  here  a 
short  time,  removed  to  Lyndeborough.    His  farm  was  taken  by  John  Crane. 


3 

lots,  half  a  mile  wide,  was  set  off  to  Temple  ;  and  thus 
the  town  finally  assumed  its  present  size  and  shape.* 

Improvements  of  all  kinds,  of  course,  were  slow  and 
gradual.  The  first  settlers  went  to  Dunstable  to  mill ; 
and  when  Shepherd's  mills  in  Milford,  seven  miles  dis- 
tant, were  built,  it  was  so  great  a  convenience,  that  it 
was  hardly  thought  less  of  than  a  modern  railroad. 
The  first  grist-mill  in  Wilton  was  built  by  Deac.  Samuel 
Greele,  of  Nottingham-West,  at  the  same  place  where 
there  is  one  now  carried  on  by  Fiske  Russell.  The  first 
saw-mill  was  near  Philip  Putnam's  set  of  mills  on  the 
North  Stream.  The  second  grist  and  saw-mill  was 
Hutchinson's,  at  the  East  Village,  on  the  same  spot 
as  now.  These  were  all  the  grist-mills  erected  before 
the  Revolution. 

The  roads  were  at  first  little  more  than  footpaths, 
marked  by  spotted  trees.  For  a  long  time  there  were 
apprehensions  of  danger  from  Indians.  Wilton  seems, 
indeed,  never  to  have  been  a  fixed  residence  for  them, 
but  merely  a  hunting  ground.  They,  however,  lived 
along  the  Merrimack,  and  in  time  of  hostility,  or  when 
hostility  was  feared,  the  first  settlers  went  into  garrison. 
This  continued  about  ten  years.  One  garrison  was  in 
Milford,  north  of  the  Souhegan,  near  the  Peabody 
Place.     The  other  was  in  Lyndeborough,  near  where 


*  The  first  settlers  of  that  part  of  Wilton  south  of  Salem-Canada,  were  Scotch, 
about  a  dozen  families  of  whom  were  in  the  town  when  it  was  incorporated.  As 
other  families  came  in,  they  left,  till  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  all  but  two 
families  had  disappeared.  The  present  inhabitants  are  entirely  of  the  Puritan 
stock.  John  Burton,  the  ancestor  of  those  of  that  name  now  residing  in  the  town, 
was  from  Middleton,  Mass.  The  Holts,  Abbots,  Thomas  Russell,  Samuel  Pet- 
tengill  were  from  Andover ;  Kings,  Stevens,  Parkhurst  were  from  Chelmsford. 
And  nearly  all  the  remaining  families  that  came  here  before  the  Revolution  were 
from  the  same  towns. 


Id 

Ephraim    Putnam  settled.     Descendants  of   his  live 
there  to  this  day. 

The  Ecclesiastical  History  of  our  New  England  towns 
has  always  been  of  great  interest  and  importance.  It 
must  be  gratifying  to  all  whose  native  place  is  Wilton, 
that  the  means  of  religious  improvement  have  always 
been  carefully  provided  by  its  inhabitants.  When  the 
town  was  first  laid  out,  one  share  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  was  set  apart  for  the  l'rst  minister,  and  another 
for  the  support  of  the  ministry.  From  the  sale  of  the 
latter  arose  the  ministerial  fund,  amounting  now  to 
about  two  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars,  the  inte- 
rest of  which  is  appropriated  annually  to  the  support  of 
the  ministry  in  the  town.  There  had  already  been  oc- 
casional preaching  most  of  the  time  ;  and  from  the  re- 
cords it  appears  that  at  least  two  persons  had  been 
invited  to  settle  here  ;  but  the  first  minister  actually  set- 
tled was  Mr.  Jonathan  Livermore,  who  was  ordained 
Dec.  14,  1763.  On  the  same  day  a  church  was  formed 
consisting  of  eight  male  members.  Mr.  Livermore  was 
minister  thirteen  years  and  resigned.  It  may  be  men- 
tioned as  an  interesting  fact,  that  there  were  only  two 
families  in  town  during  his  ministry  whose  children 
were  not  baptized.  The  first  meeting-house  was  built 
in  1752.  It  was  used  twenty-one  years  and  then 
taken  down.  The  second  meeting-house,  —  the  one  in 
which  we  are  now  assembled,  —  was  built  during  the 
ministry  of  Mr.  Livermore.  They  commenced  raising 
it  September  7,  1773.  Such  things  were  conducted 
differently  then  from  what  they  are  now.  It  was  con- 
sidered the  work  of  two  days.  People  came  from  dis- 
tant towns  to  see  the  spectacle.  There  was  great  note 
of  preparation.     A  committee  of  the  town  appointed 


11 

the  raisers,  and  ample  provisions  were  made  to  enter- 
tain strangers.* 

It  was  a  beautiful  September  morning.  And  now 
might  be  seen  coming  in  by  every  road,  and  from  the 
neighboring  towns,  great  numbers,  men,  women  and 
children,  to  see  the  show.  Some  came  on  foot ;  some 
practised  the  method,  unknown  in  modern  days,  of 
riding  and  tying ;  some  were  on  horseback,  with  their 
wives  or  sisters  behind  on  a  pillion.  It  was  an  occasion 
of  universal  expectation.  The  timbers  were  all  prepar- 
ed, the  workmen  ready,  and  the  master-workman,  fu.l 
of  the  dignity  of  his  office,  issuing  his  orders  to  his 
aids.  All  went  on  prosperously.  The  good  cheer,  the 
excitement  of  the  work,  the  crowd  of  spectators,  men 
looking  on,  women  telling  the  news,  boys  playing  their 
various  games,  all  made  it  a  scene  of  general  rejoicing. 
The  sides  of  the  house  were  already  up,  and  also  a  part 
of  the  roof  at  the  east  end  of  the  building.  One  of  the 
raisers  from  Lyndeborough,  Capt.  Bradford,  had  brought 
over  his  wife,  whom  he  left,  on  account  of  illness,  at  the 
place  where  Mr.  Baldwin  now  resides,  while  he  himself 
went  on  to  take  part  in  the  work.  Having  to  pass 
along  the  centre  of  the  building,  he  observed  that  the 
middle  beam,  extending  across  the  church,  was  not  pro- 
perly supported.  A  post  was  under  the  centre,  but  it 
was  worm-eaten,  and  was  already  beginning  to  yield  and 
give  way  under  the  pressure.  In  raising  the  middle 
part  of  the  roof,  the  weight  of  the  workmen  would  come 
in  great  measure  on  this  beam,  which  was  evidently  not 

*  Among  other  things,  —  which  might,  indeed,  in  part  account  for  the  accident 
that  followed,  —  the  town  "  Voted  to  provide,  one  barrel  of  West  India  rum,  five 
barrels  of  New  England  rum,  one  barrel  of  good  brown  sugar,  half  a  box  of  good 
lemons,  and  two  loaves  of  loaf  sugar,  for  framing  and  raising  the  meeting-house.'" 


12 

strong  enough  to  bear  up  the  timbers  and  men.  He 
immediately  ascended  the  roof  and  informed  the  master- 
workman,  who,  being  made  over-confident  by  the  suc- 
cess thus  far,  replied  to  him,  that  if  he  was  afraid  he 
might  go  home ;  that  they  wanted  no  cowards  there. 
Indignant,  he  immediately  went  down,  and  started  off 
for  his  wife,  with  the  purpose  of  returning  home.  But 
before  he  had  reached  Mr.  Baldwin's,  the  men  had  al- 
ready proceeded  forward,  confident  and  elated  at  their 
progress.  They  were  swarming  upon  the  unsupported 
beam  and  the  planks  and  timbers  which  rested  on 
it.  They  were  raising  up,  with  much  exertion  and 
shouts  of  direction  and  encouragement,  the  beams  and 
rafters,  when  suddenly,  as  he  was  anxiously  looking 
back,  he  saw  the  frame  already  erected,  tremble,  the 
men  shrink  back  aghast ;  the  building  seemed  to  rock  for 
a  moment  to  and  fro,  and  suddenly  all,  timbers  and  tools 
and  men,  rushed  down  together  in  one  mingled  mass,  in 
the  centre.  The  crash  was  so  loud  as  to  be  heard 
nearly  a  mile.  For  a  moment  all  was  silent,  and  then 
the  air  was  filled  with  groans,  and  outcries,  and  shrieks 
of  terror.  There  were  fifty-three  men  on  the  frame 
that  fell.  Three  were  instantly  killed ;  two  died  very 
shortly  afterwards ;  others  were  crippled  for  life,  and 
most  of  them  were  more  or  less  mangled  or  wounded. 
To  understand  the  impression  that  the  event  made  at 
the  time,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  whole  popula- 
tion of  the  town,  men,  women  and  children,  was  scarce- 
ly five  hundred.  It  was  like  so  many  men  lost  over- 
board from  a  ship  at  sea.  It  caused  a  general  mourn- 
ing, for  there  were  few  families  which  had  not  lost  a 
friend,  or  connexion,  or  some  one  of  whose  friends  were 
not  among  the  wounded.     At  a  Fast  which  was  kept, 


13 

Mr.  Livermore  preached  from  the  words,  (Ps.  cxxvii,  1,) 
which  then  must  have  been  peculiarly  impressive  :  "  Ex- 
cept the  Lord  build  the  house,  they  labor  in  vain  that 
build  it."  Superstition  came  in  to  darken  the  event. 
A  man  by  the  name  of  Isaac  Russell  had  been  killed  by 
the  fall  of  a  tree  which  he  had  himself  cut,  and  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  fatal  beam  was  made  of  this  self- 
same tree.* 

The  people  soon  met  again  to  erect  the  building,  and 
the  superstition  of  the  day  seemed  to  have  some  rea- 
sonable ground ;  for  a  new  beam  substituted  in  the 
place  of  the  former,  likewise  fell.  The  house  was, 
however,  finally  completed  near  the  end  of  the  year 
1774,  and  dedicated  Jan.  5,  1775,  when  Mr.  Liver- 
more  preached  a  sermon  from  1  Chron.  xxix,  14  :  "  But 
who  am  I  and  what  is  my  people,  that  we  should  be 
able  to  offer  so  willingly  after  this  sort  ?  for  all  things 
came  of  thee,  and  of  thine  own  have  we  given  them." 
In  July  20,  1804,  the  house  was  struck  with  lightning, 
and  the  middle  post  at  the  east  end  rent  from  top  to 
bottom,  where  it  may  now  be  seen  clamped  together 
by  an  iron  bolt. 

In  former  days,  (to  continue  the  history  of  the  meeting- 
house,) before  people  had  become  so  delicate  and  lux- 
urious as  now,  there  was  no  fire  in  the  church  in  winter. 
How  it  might  be  with  those  of  riper  years  I  know  not. 
I  believe  that  the  older  men  chose  to  have  it  under- 
stood that  their   zeal    kept  them  warm  ;    while   the 

*  The  event  furnished  a  suhject  for  one  of  our  native  poets.  His  somewhat 
antique  melodies  were  rewarded  with  a  household,  domestic  honor,  to  which  many 
poets  of  greater  note  have  never  heen  able  to  attain.  Long  after  the  event  and 
within  the  memory  of  many  now  living,  they  were  familiarly  sung  by  the  young 
ladies  of  the  town,  as  they  carded  and  spun  by  their  firesides.  These  memorable 
stanzas  may  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 


14 


young  men,  fearing  perhaps  lest  their  reputation  for  har- 
dihood might  suffer  in  the  eyes  of  the  gentler  sex, 
would  not  confess  that  they  were  to  be  made  to  feel  cold 
by  any  weather.  But  1  can  bear  witness,  that  there 
were  young  lads,  who,  when  the  thermometer  was  at 
zero,  by  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  sermon,  were 
ready,  after  some  misgiving,  to  give  up  reputation  for 
zeal  and  pride  of  sex,  for  the  chance  of  holding  their 
fingers  for  a  few  m:ments  over  their  mother's  foot- 
stoves. 

Fires  were  first  introduced  in  December,  1822,  and 
the  belfry  raised  and  bell  hung  in  1832. 

The  Universalists  united  together  in  1812.  The 
Baptist  Church  was  organized  April  7,  1817,  and  Soci- 
ety incorporated  in  1818,  and  meeting-house  erected  in 
1827.  The  second  Congregational  meeting-house  was 
dedicated  January  1,  1830.  The  Church  was  embo- 
died June,  1823,  and  the  Society  formed  under  the  gen- 
eral act  of  incorporation. 

But  this  part  of  our  Ecclesiastical  history  is  too  re- 
cent for  me  to  dwell  on.  As  illustrative,  however,  of 
the  changes  of  the  times,  I  may  refer  to  one  fact. 
When  Mr.  Beede  was  settled  in  1803,  there  was  not 
one  dissenting  voice  in  the  town,  not  one  who  declined 
paying  the  minister's  tax  on  any  ground  whatsoever. 
There  was  a  singular  harmony  of  religious  views  and 
feelings.  All  met  in  the  same  house  to  worship  together 
the  common  Father  of  all.  One  of  the  results,  which 
may  deserve  to  be  mentioned,  of  this  harmony,  was  the 
comparatively  light  expense  of  maintaining  public  wor- 
ship. At  that  time,  besides  what  was  derived  from  the 
ministerial  fund,  the  whole  amount  assessed  for  the  sup- 
port of  religious  institutions  was  about  two  hundred  and 


15 

sixty-five  dollars  a  year.  Now  it  amounts  yearly  to 
more  than  twelve  hundred  dollars.  The  number  of  in- 
habitants is  very  nearly  the  same  now  as  then,  while  the 
tax  for  religious  objects  has  increased  about  nine  hun- 
d.  ed  and  fifty  dollars  per  annum. 

At  first  sight  one  may  be  inclined  to  lament  that  the 
children   have   not  been  able  to  walk  together  in  the 
same  harmony  as  their  fathers.     But  there  are  higher 
considerations    than   that  of   mere   unity   of  opinion. 
It  must  be  gratifying  to  every  native  of  the  place,  as 
showing  the  general  interest  felt  in  religion,  to  witness 
the  readiness  with  which  this  heavy  tax  is  paid  for  the 
support  of  religious  institutions,  and  the  liberality  which 
has  characterized  the  town  in  all  such  matters.     And 
it  must  also  be  gratifying,  if  men  in  their  examinations 
do  not  arrive  at  the  same  views,  that  there  are  so  many 
different  churches,  that  every  one  may  enjoy  the  privi- 
lege, which  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  came  to  New-England 
to  secure,   of  worshipping  God   according  to  his  own 
conscience.     Nay,  this  separation  may  be  merely  tem- 
porary and  only  for  the  greater  advantage  of  each  and 
all.    If  the  means  of  religion,  which  all  possess,  be  faith- 
fully used,  there  shall  be  a  higher  union.     I  observed  as 
we  walked  towards  the  place  where  we  are  assembled, 
that  two  of  the  churches,  (and  I  presume  that  it  was  only 
necessity  that  caused  the  other  to  be  omitted,)  though 
widely  separated   on  the  earth,  were,  above  the  earth, 
united  —  tower  to  tower  —  by   a  band  wreathed  with 
evergreen.      So  may  we  hope  that  many  souls,  that 
find  it  for  their  spiritual  improvement  to  worship  apart 
here,  shall  be  united  in  eternal  bands  in  heaven. 

Another  object  of  essential  importance  is  that  of 
schools.     And   I  think  we  may  look  with  pride  to  our 


16 

native  town  and  see  how  willingly  and  well  they  have 
been  supported.  The  school-tax,  assessed  by  the  town 
has  always  been  more  than  was  required  by  law,  and  of 
late  years  nearly  double  that  amount.  The  sum  re- 
quired by  law  has  been  about  three  hundred  dollars ;  — 
whereas  the  sum  actually  raised,  has  never,  for  many 
years  been  less  than  four  hundred  —  while  of  late 
years  it  has  been  five  hundred,  five  hundred  and  fifty, 
and  six  hundred  dollars  per  annum.  Besides  this 
should  be  reckoned  in  what  has  been  raised  for  private 
and  subscription  schools ;  and  a  much  larger  sum,  — 
some  years  much  more  than  all  the  rest,  —  which  has 
been  expended  by  young  men  and  women  in  schools, 
academies  and  colleges  abroad,  where  they  have 
gone  to  seek  further  opportunities  of  education. 

To  this  liberal  support  of  schools  and  religious  insti- 
tutions, I  think  we  may  trace,  in  great  measure,  several 
very  important  results,  such  as  a  general  intelligence 
and  a  taste  for  intellectual  pleasures  and  pursuits,  and 
the  general  good  morals.  It  is  not  known,  for  example, 
that  any  native  of  Wilton  has  ever  committed  a  crime 
which  has  subjected  him  to  any  of  the  severer  penalties 
of  the  law. 

To  this  may  in  part  be  attributed  the  small  number  of 
paupers  compared  with  what  is  to  be  found  in  most 
towns  of  the  same  size ;  so  that  if  the  people  here  have 
paid  more  for  the  support  of  schools  and  religion,  they 
have  thus  prepared  men  better  to  provide  for  themselves, 
and  have  been  obliged  to  pay  less  for  the  support  of  the 
poor. 

It  may  be  owing  to  this  that  Wilton  has  never  been 
able  to  support  a  lawyer.  The  only  one  who  ever 
attempted  to  settle  in  the  town,  I  am  told,  was  starved 
out  in  about  three  months. 


17 

Wilton,  too,  has  furnished  very  much  more  than  her 
proportion  of  professional  men.  Twenty-nine  have  re- 
ceived a  college  education.  Thirteen  of  those  born 
here  have  entered  the  ministry :  eleven  have  become 
physicians,  two  of  whom  have  been  professors  in  med- 
ical colleges ;  and  five  have  become  lawyers.  Were 
we  to  reckon  the  children  of  those  who  have  emigrated 
from  the  town,  this  number  would  be  very  much  in- 
creased. Besides  this,  are  a  very  large  number  of 
school-teachers,  than  whose  office  none  can  be  more 
important ;  and  three  have  gone  missionaries  to  heathen 
lands. 

The  great  increase  of  the  expenses  of  the  town  for 
schools  and  religious  purposes  has  taken  place,  while 
other  taxes  have  not  diminished,  and  the  population  has 
not  increased.  Since  1790,  when  the  number  of  inhab- 
itants was  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  five,  the 
population  has  been  nearly  stationary,  and  has  never 
been  greater  than  at  that  period. 

The  political  history  of  the  town  is  too  important  to 
be  passed  over  entirely,  though  in  referring  to  it,  1 
would  express  no  opinion  as  to  the  political  questions 
that  have  been  agitated. 

The  state  of  New-Hampshire  during  the  revolution- 
ary war  was  more  free  from  toryism,  than  any  state  in 
the  union.  After  the  Revolution,  the  federal  party  was 
the  dominant  one,  and  New-Hampshire  continued  a 
federal  state,  unitedly,  longer  than  any  other,  with  the 
exception  of  Connecticut.  Indeed,  for  fifteen  years 
after  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  in  1783,  there 
was  but  one  ticket  in  the  state  for  United  States  and 
state  officers.  The  republican  party  gained  the  as- 
cendancy in  1805.  Since  then,  at  different  times 
3 


18 

the  different  parties  have  alternately  had  the  majority. 
Wilton  was  a  federal  town,  with  the  exception  of  two 
votes,  till  1 802.  Since  that  time  the  democratic  party 
has,  I  believe,  been  in  the  majority,  in  most  cases,  ex- 
cept when  elections  have  been  influenced  by  local  in- 
terests. But  on  the  subject  of  politics,  so  contested, 
and  where  one  is  so  easily  misunderstood,  1  do  not 
dwell. 

Wilton  has  of  course  sympathized  with  the  general 
condition  of  the  country.  It  has  felt  the  blessings  of 
peace,  and  war  has  brought  mourning  to  the  homes 
among  these  hills,  as  it  has  done  elsewhere. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  the  town,  it  shared,  in  com- 
mon with  all  the  frontier  towns,  the  dread  of  Indian 
hostilities.  It  was,  however,  free  from  savage  inroads, 
though  for  some  years,  in  the  time  of  Indian  wars, 
the  people  took  refuge  for  safety  in  neighboring  gar- 
risons. 

In  the  French  war,  at  the  massacre  of  Fort  Edward, 
Henry  Parker,  Jr.,  a  young  man  whose  family  belonged 
to  this  town,  was  killed. 

But  a  struggle  was  approaching  winch,  for  years, 
should  be  felt  in  every  village  and  every  home  of  this 
country.  The  causes  which  brought  about  the  Revolu- 
tion had  for  a  long  time  been  ripening.  The  country 
was  heated  and  ready  to  burst  out  into  a  flame.  The 
day  of  decision  and  action  came.  On  the  19th  of  April, 
1775,  in  all  the  towns  in  the  neighborhood  of  Boston  the 
same  spectacle  might  have  been  witnessed,  extending  on 
into  the  country,  as  fast  as  men  and  horses  could  travel. 
A  horseman  might  be  seen  to  ride  rapidly  into  the  town. 
The  bell,  if  there  was  one,  was  rung ;  a  drum  beat  the 
roll ;  there  was   a  sudden  collecting  of  men  from  all 


19 

quarters  —  from  the  workshop  and  the  field  —  and  pre- 
sently pushing  their  horses  hotly  on,  the  inhabitants 
dropped  in  one  by  one  from  the  outskirts  of  the  town. 
The  house-doors  were  open ;  the  ordinary  avocations 
of  life  stopped  ;  women  were  hurrying  with  uncovered 
heads,  or  whispering  together  with  anxious  eyes  and 
quivering  lips.  Presently,  three  or  four  men  on  fresh 
horses  were  seen  starting  in  the  direction  of  the  towns 
beyond,  and  the  assembly  quietly  separated.  In  a  few 
hours,  the  same  men  were  seen  rallying  again.  They 
were  in  their  common  dress,  but  they  had  fowling- 
pieces  and  muskets  in  their  hands,  and  powder-horns 
and  pouches,  or  cartridge-boxes  slung  at  their  sides. 
They  came  together  with  provisions  and  blankets  — 
but  silently,  with  stern  and  resolved  faces,  as  if  on  some 
solemn  and  momentous  enterprise,  that  had  hushed  all 
lighter  feelings  and  words.  What  was  the  meaning  of 
this  rude  war  array  ?  That  courier  had  brought  the 
news  that  a  body  of  British  troops  was  marching  tow- 
ards Concord  for  offensive  purposes.  And  thus,  at  a 
moment's  warning,  in  peace,  almost  unarmed,  sprung 
forth  the  New  England  yeomanry  to  meet  them.  In 
each  separate  band  was  the  strength  of  a  separate  town, 
men  linked  heart  to  heart ;  neighbors,  brothers,  sons, 
fathers.  The  plough  was  left  in  the  furrow  and  the 
grain  unsown.  None  but  pale-lipped  women  and  chil- 
dren crying  they  knew  not  why,  and  old  men  that 
leaned  upon  staves  were  left.  Many  tears  were  shed 
and  many  a  prayer  breathed,  as  wives,  and  mothers,  and 
sisters  saw  this  band,  as  it  went  with  the  expectation  of 
instant  combat,  vanish  in  the  windings  of  the  road.* 

*  The  same  thing,  almost  to  the  letter,  is  described  by  the  older  inhabitants,  as 
having  taken  place  repeatedly  during  the  war. 


to    . 

This  was  the  most  wonderful  day  of  the  Revolution. 
It  witnessed  the  uprising  of  a  whole  people.*  It  was 
the  day  of  decision,  and  each  man  who  took  arms  in  his 
hands,  virtually  cast  off  allegiance  to  the  mother  country, 
and  personally  declared  war  against  the  might  of  Britain. 
It  was  not  as  when  an  army,  drilled  into  a  piece  of  me- 
chanism, marches  forth  to  battle.  The  solemn  decision 
of  peace  or  war,  that  should  drench  the  continent  in 
blood,  was  to  be  made  in  each  individual  heart.  At 
once  the  country  was  filled  with  armed  men.  Stark 
was  in  his  saw-mill  at  Londonderry,  when  he  heard  the 
news  of  the  blood  shed  at  Lexington,  and  instantly  took 
his  musket  and  started  for  the  camp.  Putnam  was 
ploughing  in  the  middle  of  a  field.  He  left  his  plough 
in  the  furrow,  unyoked  his  oxen,  and  without  changing 
his  dress,  mounted  his  horse  and  proceeded  to  the 
scene  of  action.  And  the  same  that  they  did,  was  done 
by  multitudes  of  others.  There  are  few  of  us,  who 
have  not  heard  from  the  aged  people  among  us,  ac- 
counts of  the  sudden  preparation  and  departure  of  the 
minute  men,  and  how  their  wives  and  sisters  toiled  at 
home  with  beating  hearts,  to  prepare  provisions  and 
clothes  to  be  sent  to  the  camp.  Forever  in  memory  be 
held  the  brave  men  and  heroic  women  of  that  day  !f 

*  Very  far,  however,  was  it  from  being  an  act  of  hasty  and  inconsiderate  pas- 
sion. Many  facts  might  be  gleaned  from  the  town  records  showing  in  what  seri- 
ous foresight  the  people  were  preparing  for  the  Revolution.  For  example,  in 
1775,  a  "  Town  Stock  "  of  salt  and  molasses  was  purchased  at  Marblehead  and 
transported  to  Wilton,  in  the  apprehension  that  the  inhabitants  might  be  cut  off  by 
the  war  from  their  supplies  of  these  articles.  The  records  of  the  time  are  also 
full  of  votes  relative  to  providing  clothes,  provisions  and  money  for  those  who  join- 
ed the  army. 

t  It  is  worthy  of  being  mentioned,  that  the  requisitions  made  on  Wilton  for 
men,  throughout  the  war,  were  complied  with  invariably  by  prompt  and  volun- 
tary enlistments.     It  is  stated  that  in  one  case  the  demand  came  on  Sunday,  and 


21 


There  was  nothing  peculiar  in  the  history  of  Wilton 
during  the  Revolution.  It  endured  deprivations  and 
shared  losses  of  substance  and  of  men,  in  common  with 
the  other  New-England  towns.  At  one  period  or 
another,  for  a  longer  or  a  shorter  time,  nearly  all  the 
inhabitants,  capable  of  bearing  arms,  were  enrolled  in 
the  army ;  and  every  able  bodied  man  served  in  the 
war,  either  personally  or  by  substitute.  Nearly  the 
whole  population  turned  out  to  meet  Burgoyne,  and 
many  were  with  Stark  at  Bennington.*  To  show  how 
heavily  the  war  bore  on  all  the  towns,  it  may  be  stated 
that  the  population  of  Wilton,  when  the  Revolution 
commenced,  was  but  six  hundred  and  twenty-three,  of 
whom,  there  were  but  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and  sixty.  Of  this  number, 
twenty-six  were  in  the  army  in  1775.  Of  the  soldiers 
from  Wilton,  twenty -two  died  or  were  killed  in  the  war. 
Of  the  number  who  were  out  in  that  momentous  strug- 
gle, but  two  remain.  Onef  of  thern  was  out  four 
years ;  the  other  J  during  nearly  the  whole  war,  and  on 
almost  every  battle-field  where  the  great  contest  was 

the  men  started  for  the  camp  on  Monday.  This  is  the  more  worthy  of  remem- 
brance, because  the  want  of  prompt  enlistments  was  one  of  the  great  difficulties 
of  the  Revolution.  Washington  constantly  complains  of  the  slow  and  incomplete 
returns  of  men.  It  does  not  diminish,  but  increases  our  respect  for  the  patriotism 
of  the  town,  that  to  encourage  men  to  join  the  army,  Wilton  gave  a  large  bounty 
to  those  who  enlisted.  To  the  last  three-years  men,  this  bounty  was  $160  in  sil- 
ver to  each  man.    For  a  fuller  account  of  this  measure,  see  the  Appendix. 

*  An  anecdote  is  related  that  shows  the  spirit  that  prevailed.  A  young  man 
came  to  the  muster-master,  (Maj.  Abiel  Abbot,)  to  be  enrolled  for  the  army,  but 
was  found  not  so  tall  as  the  law  required.  He  insisted  on  being  again  measured, 
and  it  being  with  the  same  result,  in  his  passionate  disappointment,  he  burst  into 
tears.  He  was  however  finally  enrolled,  on  the  ground  that  zeal  and  courage 
were  of  more  value  in  a  soldier  than  an  inch,  more  or  less,  in  height 

t  Capt.  William  Pettengill. 

t  Capt.  Joseph  Gray. 


22 


decided.  They  still  remain,  examples  to  all  of  patriotism 
and  worth.  May  God  hold  their  lives  in  his  most  holy 
care,  and  may  their  old  age  go  down  calmly  amid  the 
respect  and  honor  of  those,  whose  liberties  they  peril- 
led their  lives  to  secure. 

When  we  compare  the  growth  of  our  native  town  with 
that  of  places  more  favorably  situated,  it  may  seem  at 
first  slow  and  slight.  Yet  even  here,  how  vast  the  change 
which  a  century  has  wrought.  Instead  of  the  Indian 
trail,  or  path  marked  by  spotted  trees,  the  whole  town  is 
intersected  and  netted  over  by  travelled  roads  ;  instead 
of  forests  tenanted  by  bears  and  wolves,  and  every 
species  of  wild  game,  we  now  see  on  every  side  culti- 
vated farms  and  happy  homes ;  the  streams  then  wander- 
ed through  the  wilderness  unvisited,  save  by  the  muskrat 
or  the  beaver,  and  now  scarcely  a  water-fall  is  to  be 
found  where  is  not  erected  a  mill  or  factory.  Through 
the  warm  summer  days  may  be  heard  at  the  angles  of 
the  roads,  the  busy  murmur  of  the  school-houses,  and 
on  the  hills  may  be  seen  the  churches,  directing  the 
thoughts  of  the  dwellers  round  about  to  heaven.  At 
first  the  town  was  peopled  by  emigration ;  but  it  has 
given  in  this  way  more  than  it  has  received.  Not  only 
has  it  kept  up  its  own  population,  but  it  is  calculated  that 
the  emigrants  from  Wilton,  now  living,  would  make  two 
towns,  each  as  large  as  Wilton  itself.*  When  we  re- 
member that  this  is  the  change  wrought  in  a  single  cen- 
tury, and  that  this  is  but  an  example  of  the  growth  of 
the  whole  interior  of  New-England,  we  cannot  fail  to 
see  that  there  has  been  and  is  abundant  reason  to  be 
grateful  to  Providence  for  the  wonderful  prosperity  of 

*  A  large  number  of  the  original  settlers  of  Andover,  Weston  and  Landgrove, 
Vt,  were  emigrants  from  Wilton.  So  also  were  many  of  the  first  settlers  of  Nel- 
son, N.  H.,  and  of  Weld  and  Temple  in  Maine.  This,  however,  includes  but  a 
small  part  of  the  emigration  from  this  town.  » 


23 

our  land.  The  wonder  of  today  makes  us  forget  the 
wonder  of  yesterday.  It  is  but  a  little  time  since  the  pop- 
ulation of  this  region  was  increasing  scarcely  less  rapidly 
than  that  of  the  flourishing  regions  of  the  West  in  our 
own  day.  And  it  increases  not  so  rapidly  now,  only  be- 
cause it  is  pouring  forth  its  children  to  do  their  part  in 
building  up  cities,  and  states,  and  empires  towards  the 
setting  sun. 

We  have  looked  at  the  history  of  the  Past.  That 
we  may  draw  from  it,  as  far  as  may  be,  wisdom  for  the 
future,  let  us  devote  the  remainder  of  our  time  to  the 
consideration  of  some  of  the  causes  that  have  promoted 
the  prosperity  of  our  New-England  towns. 

One  of  the  most  important  of  these  causes  is  to  be 
found  in  the  fact,  that  the  people  have  been  left  to  their 
individual  enterprise. 

There  are  two  courses  which  a  government  may  pur- 
sue, almost  equally  certain  to  ruin  a  country.  One  is 
that  of , too  much  legislation  ;  the  other  is  that  of  un- 
steady and  changeable  legislation.  One  is  the  charac- 
teristic vice  of  despotisms  ;  the  other  has  too  often  been 
chargeable  upon  republics.  They  both  finally  bring 
about  the  ruin  of  a  country,  in  the  same  way,  by  break- 
ing down  and  palsying  individual  enterprise. 

In  Egypt,  the  government  does  every  thing ;  makes 
all  the  improvements ;  builds  railroads  and  canals ; 
owns  and  cultivates  the  soil.  It  takes  the  responsibility 
of  every  thing  and  directs  every  thing.  Nothing  is  left 
to  individual  enterprise,  and,  of  course,  there  is  no  such 
enterprise.  The  people  remain  slaves.  Even  were  it 
well  meant,  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  government's 
taking  so  much  care  of  a  people,  that  they  will  cease  to 


21 

take  care  of  themselves,  and  sink  down  into  apathy,  and 
ignorance  and  sloth. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  legislation  is  changeable  ;  if  it 
grants  privileges  to  day  which  it  revokes  tomorrow ; 
passes  laws  this  year  only  to  repeal  them  the  next ; 
gives  encouragement  to  a  branch  of  industry  now,  and 
suddenly  and  causelessly  withdraws  the  encouragement ; 
the  result  will  ultimately  be  the  same.  The  insecurity 
of  property  will  prevent  men  from  investing  it  in  any 
way  in  which  the  government  can  reach  it ;  the  greatest 
encouragement  to  labor — the  hope  that  one  may  lay  up 
something  for  his  old  age  or  for  his  children,  —  will  be 
taken  away ;  no  man  will  be  induced  to  make  improve- 
ments, if  he  is  to  be  immediately  after  treated  as  a  pub- 
lic enemy,  and  robbed  of  all  the  profit  of  his  labors ; 
industry  will  be  paralyzed ;  they  who  have  much  will 
hoard  it,  and  they  who  have  nothing  will  live  on  the 
community ;  all  enterprise  will  be  extinct ;  and  thus 
the  changeable  legislation  of  a  republic  may  become 
as  ruinous  as  the  tyrannical  exactions  of  a  despotism. 
Thus  far  our  country  has  avoided  both  of  these  ex- 
tremes. It  has  interfered  as  little  as  possible  to  regulate 
and  control  individual  industry,  endeavoring  in  the  main 
to  secure  to  each  one  the  profits  of  his  own  capital  and 
labor.  Give  a  people  freedom,  and  make  them  certain 
that  they  shall  have  the  benefit  of  all  the  property  and 
labor  they  invest  in  any  branch  of  business ;  that  govern- 
ment shall  not  rob  them  of  it,  but  secure  it  to  them  and 
their  children  ;  and  the  spirit  of  enterprise  will  spring 
into  life  and  vigor,  and  every  faculty  of  mind  will  be 
called  into  action,  every  hand  will  be  busy,  and  the  land 
will  be  covered  with  improvements  and  with  a  prosper- 
ous and  growing  people.  Such  has  been  thus  far,  and 
may  such  ever  be,  the  condition  of  our  country. 


25 

2.  Another  great  cause  of  the  prosperity  of  our  New- 
England  towns,  may  be  found  in  the  character  of  the 
town  governments.  We  are  apt  to  forget  the  impor- 
tance of  the  town  governments.  In  them  nearly  all  of 
the  most  important  legislation  of  the  country  takes  place. 
Schools,  religious  institutions,  roads,  the  poor,  all  that 
most  immediately  concerns  the  character  and  substantial 
comfort  of  the  people,  depend  on  the  action  of  the 
town  for  support.  The  action  of  the  general  govern- 
ment is  almost  limited  to  the  power  of  doing  or  averting 
evil.  The  towns  nearly  monopolize  the  power  of  doing 
good. 

And  not  only  this,  the  system  of  town  governments 
exert  the  same  influence  on  the  character,  spoken  of 
under  the  preceding  head.  It  calls  on  each  individual 
for  thought  and  action,  and  makes  him  responsible  in  all 
the  most  important  measures  of  government.  Our 
town-meetings  do  scarcely  less  towards  disciplining  men 
to  self-government,  to  wise  forethought  and  expanded 
views  and  action,  than  our  schools  do  in  developing  the 
minds  of  children.  They  are  the  schools  of  a  republic, 
in  which  the  citizens  learn  self-government.  There, 
annually,  all  affairs  of  a  local  nature  are  entirely  deter- 
mined ;  and  all  the  great  measures  of  the  general  gov- 
ernment are  brought  up  for  consideration,  and  each  indi- 
vidual must  do  his  part  in  deciding  on  what  involves  the 
welfare  of  millions.  Familiarity  renders  us  insensible  to 
the  advantage  of  these  town  governments.  We  can  only 
see  it  by  contrasting  it  with  what  our  condition  would 
be  were  these  corporations  annihilated.  Were  the  taxes 
necessary  for  the  support  of  the  poor,  of  schools,  of  re- 
ligious institutions,  for  the  construction  of  roads,  and 
other  objects,  raised  by  the  general  government  from 
4 


26 

customs  or  from  a  general  tax,  and  expended  by  the 
government,  the  good  done  would  be  slight  compared 
with  what  we  witness  now.  Money  thus  raised  would 
be  expended  heedlessly  and  unprofitably.  Money  raised 
without  forethought  on  the  part  of  the  people  would  be 
expended  without  after-thought.  But  let  the  people 
themselves  raise  the  money  for  schools,  and  they  will  see 
that  their  schools  are  good  and  well  attended.  Let  the 
people  tax  themselves  for  roads,  and  roads  will  be  con- 
structed faithfully.  Everything  in  the  comparison  will 
be  done  to  the  best  advantage,  for  every  one's  atten- 
tion will  be  awake  to  see  that  it  is  so  done.  Men  are 
satisfied  too,  with  taxes  raised  by  themselves.  A  tax  of  a 
few  pence  a  pound  on  tea,  if  exacted  by  a  foreign 
power,  may  excite  a  revolution ;  while  the  same  people 
may  cheerfully  burden  themselve^with  a  tax  of  millions, 
to  accomplish  measures  which  they  themselves  approve. 

But  far  more  than  this.  It  gives  each  individual  the 
habit  of  looking  beyond  himself,  his  home,  and  farm, 
and  workshop.  It  binds  him  in  with  the  community. 
It  cultivates  unconsciously  the  habit  of  deliberation,  of 
forethought,  of  wide  and  liberal  views.  An  intelligent 
German  remarks,  that  what  he  was  most  struck  with  in 
this  country,  was  the  early  developement  of  mind  and 
character,  so  that  a  youth  of  sixteen  is  often  more  com- 
petent to  enter  into  the  business  of  life,  than  a  German 
of  twenty-five.  And  it  is  accounted  for  by  the  constant 
tendency  of  our  institutions  to  throw  important  trusts 
and  responsibilities  on  every  individual. 

But  more  than  all ;  in  these  town  governments  the 
citizens  learn  that  without  which  a  republic  cannot  long 
exist,  —  the  habit  of  self-government.  A  republic  can- 
not be  governed  by  the  bayonet.  The  real  law,  the 
real  government,  must  be  in  the  mind  of  each  individual 


27 

citizen.    The  statute  book  but  records  the  way  in  which 
the  people  have  determined  to  govern  themselves. 

The  worth  of  this  habit  of  self-government  was  sig- 
nally seen  at  the  commencement  of  our  Revolution. 
Then  the  laws  of  the  land  were  virtually  set  aside. 
The  general  government  was  entirely  cast  off.  Courts 
of  law  and  the  bench  of  justice  were  swept  away.  The 
people  were  thrown  back  upon  themselves,  and  almost 
all  the  affairs  of  the  country  were  transacted  through 
their  primary  assemblies  in  the  towns.  Then  was  seen 
the  wonderful  spectacle  of  a  people  without  law,  amongst 
whom  all  the  processes  of  government,  at  a  most  fearful 
crisis,  were  carried  on  as  quietly,  as  steadily,  as  in  the 
most  peaceful  times  and  under  the  strongest  despotism 
of  Europe.  The  people  had  the  habit  of  self-govern- 
ment ;  the  habit  of  considering,  and  in  great  measure 
deciding  for  themselves  on  the  most  important  general 
interests.  And  though  law  was  gone,  the  sense  of 
individual  responsibility  remained,  and  the  habit  of 
self-rule  remained.  A  very  striking  illustration  of  the 
importance  of  this  habit  of  self-government  is  afforded 
by  an  event  that  occurred  on  the  first  news  of  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Revolution.  The  warrants  for  town-meeting 
down  to  the  time  of  the  Lexington  battle,  were  uni- 
formly issued  in  his  Majesty's  name.  For  example,  the 
last  one  before  that  conflict  reads  in  this  manner.  "  To 
Amos  Fuller,  constable  for  the  town  of  Wilton,  Greet- 
ing— 

"  In  his  Majesty's  name,  you  are  hereby  required  forth- 
with to  warn  all  the  Freeholders  and  other  inhabitants, 
&c.  &c. 

"  Given  under  our  hands  and  seal  this  21st  day  of 
March,  A.  D.  1775,  and  in  the  15th  year  of  the  Reign 


28 

of  King  George  the  Third  ;  "  and  this  signed  by  the  Se- 
lectmen of  Wilton. 

But  little  more  than  a  month  passed  during  which  the 
battle  of  Lexington  took  place,  and  the  form  changes. 
His  Majesty's  name  no  longer  holds  the  place  of  author- 
ity. That  place  is  occupied  thenceforth  by  "  us  the  sub- 
scribers." And  no  allegiance  is  recognised  to  any  power 
beyond  the  town  itself,  as  the  following  warrant  issued 
five  days  after  that  event,  which,  with  the  doings  thereon, 
virtually  constituted,  as  is  justly  remarked  by  the  gentle- 
man to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  the  anecdote,  the  town 
of  W.lton  a  Republic.  The  warrant  now  reads,  "  To 
Amos  Fuller,  constable  for  the  town  of  Wilton,  Greet- 
ing,—  by  us  the  subscribers,  you  are  hereby  required 
forthwith  to  warn,  &,c."  The  second  article  of  the  war- 
rant runs  thus : — 

"Whereas,  it  appears  at  this  time  that  our  public 
affairs  are  in  so  distressing  a  situation,  that  we  are  not 
in  a  capacity  to  proceed  in  a  legal  manner,  to  see  if  the 
town  will  vote,  that  the  votes  and  resolves  of  this  and  all 
other  meetings  in  this  town  for  the  term  of  one  year, 
shall  be  binding  on  the  inhabitants  of  this  town,  &c." 

This  was  signed  by  the  Selectmen  for  the  year.  The 
meeting  was  held,  and  the  vote  was  passed,  that  the 
votes  and  resolves  of  this  and  all  other  town-meetings, 
should  be  held  binding.  Thus,  practically,  all  other 
authority  was  rejected,  and  the  town  of  Wilton  became 
a  separate  sovereignty,  a  republic,  acknowledging  no 
laws  but  those  of  its  own  making.  This  vote,  five  days 
after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  was,  in  truth,  a  declara- 
tion of  independence,  and  perhaps  the  first  ever  made. 

It  was  this  power  of  self-government  which  gave 
strength   and   union    to    the   people,    throughout  the 


29 

Revolution.  It  was  owing  to  this,  that  war  and  the 
vehemence  of  party  spirit,  and  the  breaking  up  of 
established  institutions,  hardly  deranged  the  interior  order 
of  the  country.  It  was  owing  to  a  want  of  them, —  to 
the  want  of  the  habit  of  self-government,  —  that  in  the 
French  Revolution,  the  people,  when  the  ancient  mon- 
archy was  removed,  knew  not  what  to  do.  They  only 
knew  that  they  were  free ;  and,  like  tigers  let  loose  from 
their  cage,  rushed  madly  upon  their  prey,  and  made 
liberty  the  watchword  for  licentiousness,  and  rapine,  and 
blood. 

3.  Another  cause  that  has  promoted  the  prosperity  of 
New-England,  has  been  the  character  of  its  soil.  One 
travels  over  the  prairies  of  the  West,  and  it  seems  as  if 
there  must  be  the  garden  and  paradise  of  the  world.  To 
one  who  passes  through  New-England,  and  compares  it 
with  many  other  regions,  it  appears  as  if  its  soil  had 
been  smitten  with  the  curse  of  barrenness.  He  travels 
for  hours  and  sees  only  naked  hills,  walled  in  and  almost 
covered  with  rocks,  and  the  few  patches  of  fertile  soil, 
the  result  of  unwearied  labor.  He  sees  the  snows  lin- 
gering under  the  shadow  of  the  mountains  to  chill  the 
summer ;  and  the  summer  has  hardly  gone  when  they 
appear  again.  Six  months  of  the  year  are  exhausted 
in  preparing  for  the  rigors  of  the  remaining  six.  Men 
must  labor  or  starve.  There  is  no  exemption.  How 
strange,  it  is  sometimes  said,  that  the  Pilgrims  should 
have  cast  their  lot  on  these  wintry  shores.  How  much 
happier,  had  their  ship  borne  them  to  some  more  be- 
nignant clime! 

But,  could  they  have  looked  into  the  future,  might 
they  not  have  wisely  chosen  this  region  in  preference  to 
all  others  ?    Though  the  soil  be  not  so  productive  of 


30 


corn  and  wheat,  may  it  not  for  that  very  reason  be  more 
fitted  to  produce  men  ? 

The  necessity  of  labor  begets  the  habit  of  industry. 
And  what  men  labor  for  gains  value,  and  labor  itself  is 
not  willingly  thrown  away;  and  thus  forethought  and  self- 
denial,  (the  foundations  of  mental  and  moral  growth,) 
are  nurtured  up,  and  all  of  manhood  that  is  in  the  man, 
is  brought  out  by  the  necessities  of  his  condition.  And 
the  result  is,  that  the  traveller  sees  on  all  this  desolate 
land,  ten  thousand  homes  filled  with  the  comforts  and 
luxuries  of  life,  far  beyond  most  other  regions  ;  school- 
houses  at  every  turn,  to  which  young  children  come  up 
with  shining,  morning  faces ;  and,  towering  above  the 
hills,  the  spires  of  churches,  catching  the  earliest  beams 
of  the  morning  and  the  last  rays  of  the  evening  sun. 
Amidst  this  desolation  of  nature,  man  has  found  happi- 
ness and  abundance  ;  and  he  has  found  it  all  the  more 
certainly,  because  the  necessities  of  his  condition  are 
such  as  to  call  out  all  manly  qualities ;  and  where 
these  exists,  little  else  will  be  wanting.  That  region 
where  mind  and  character  have  been  nurtured  up  into 
vigor,  shall  make  all  others  tributary  to  itself. 

Change  the  scene.  Suppose  that,  by  some  necro- 
mancy, the  soil  were  to  become  suddenly  fertile,  that  the 
heavens  should  stoop  nearer  the  earth,  and  the  winters 
be  melted  away  under  a  milder  sky ;  suppose  that  by 
three  days'  labor  men  might  gain  food  for  the  week. 
The  whole  history  of  man  tells  us  that  the  vast  propor- 
tion would  labor  but  three  days  in  the  six;  the  rest 
would  be  given  up  to  idleness,  and  with  idleness  would 
come  its  dissipations  and  its  vices.  A  few,  possessed 
of  the  strongest  minds  and  characters  might  acquire  vast 
wealth ;  but  the  broad  land,  instead  of  being  filled  with 


31 


competence  and  covered  with  cheerful  homes,  in  which 
youth  learns  from  age  the  best  virtues  of  men,  would 
be  deformed  by  miserable  hovels.  The  poorest  coun- 
tries in  the  world  —  those  in  which  the  mass  of  the 
people  are  sunk  in  the  lowest  poverty  —  are  those 
whose  soil  is  most  fertile.  The  fertility  of  the  soil  has 
operated  as  a  premium  on  sloth  and  vice. 

It  is  not  the  soil  that  makes  a  nation  flourish,  but  the 
men,  —  their  forethought,  and  enterprise,  and  industry. 
And  these  have  rarely  existed  when  there  has  not  been 
a  necessity  for  them.  At  any  rate,  1  may  say  that  no 
land  has  been  permanently  and  progressively  prosperous, 
in  which  the  people  have  not  been  under  the  necessity  of 
being  steadily  industrious.  And  I  might  say  more,  that 
many  a  man  who  has  gone  forth  to  find  a  home  in  dis- 
tant lands,  in  counting  over  his  blessings,  puts  among 
the  first,  the  fact,  that  he  was  born  among  the  bleak 
hills  of  New-England  and  subjected  in  early  childhood 
to  the  imperious  necessity  of  daily  labor  and  self-denial. 

But  there  are  other  causes  of  prosperity  for  which  we 
owe  a  more  immediate  gratitude  to  the  wisdom  of  our 
fathers. 

One  of  them  is  the  School  system,  which  was  early 
established,  and  which  has  been  always  fostered  as  one 
of  the  most  valuable  of  our  institutions.  That  a  coun- 
try may  flourish,  it  is  not  enough  that  the  hand  should 
toil.  The  mind  must  direct  the  hand.  Other  things 
being  equal,  that  country  will  always  be  the  most  pros- 
perous, where  there  is  the  most  intelligence.  Our 
fathers  saw  that  no  money  is  so  wisely  invested,  as 
that  which  is  invested  in  the  education  of  the  young. 
Drought  may  blast  the  harvest,  fires  consume  the  dwell- 
ing, and  the  hoarded  wealth  be  swept  away,  but  intelli- 


32 


gence  shall  collect,  and  restore,  and  rebuild  all  again. 
Amongst  an  ignorant  people,  all  the  arts  and  employ- 
ments of  life  languish.  To  such  a  people  all  soils  are 
barren  and  all  skies  unpropitious.  Nature  may  do  every- 
thing, but  ignorance  cannot  use  her  gifts.  But  where 
there  is  intelligence,  every  thing  may  be  made  to  contri- 
bute to  the  general  prosperity.  The  rapids  of  the  river, 
shall  move  the  myriad  wheels  of  industry,  and  the  very 
granite  of  the  hills,  shall  be  as  mines  of  gold.  There  is 
not  a  mountain  so  bleak,  nor  a  valley  so  lonely,  where 
intelligent  enterprise  shall  not  find  abundance.  Every 
harbor  shall  be  white  with  sails,  and  the  rock-bound 
coast  be  lined  with  shining  towns.  It  is  because  intel- 
ligence has  guided  labor  in  New-England,  that  pros- 
perity has  filled  her  borders. 

Nor  is  the  influence  of  this  early  and  careful  educa- 
tion of  the  young  seen  at  home  alone.  Wherever  you 
go,  along  the  mighty  rivers  and  broad  savannahs  of  the 
West  and  South,  you  see  New-England  names.  And 
wherever  her  sons  are  planted,  there  are  prosperous 
and  thriving  communities. 

But  especially  have  we  reason  to  be  grateful  to  our 
fathers  for  the  habitual  reverence  which  they  instilled 
into  the  minds  of  their  descendants,  by  their  own  exam- 
ple and  by  the  institutions  which  they  established  for 
religion.  The  early  settlers  of  this  town  brought  with 
them  much  of  that  fervent  and  stern  religious  feeling, 
which  characterized  the  pilgrim  fathers.  One  of  the 
first  things  which  they  did,  was  to  erect  a  place  for  pub- 
lic worship.  They  had  public  worship  almost  from  the 
outset,  and  a  minister  was  settled  when  the  town  contain- 
ed but  about  forty  families.  "  And  here,"  says  Mr.  Fiske, 
in  his  half  century  sermon ;  "  it  is  worhy  of  remark  that 


33 

notwithstanding  the  number  of  inhabitants  was  so  small 
and  their  circumstances  far  from  being  affluent,  the  ex- 
pense which  arose  from  this  quarter,  was  so  far  from 
impoverishing  the  town,  that  the  interest  of  the  town  was 
doubled  in  a  few  years.  It  was  the  means  of  a  more 
rapid  settlement  of  the  place."  This  remark  is  very 
just  and  important.  He  who  removes  with  a  family  to 
a  new  region,  among  the  first  questions,  asks,  what  is 
the  condition  of  the  schools,  and  what  are  the  religious 
privileges.  Close  the  churches  of  a  town,  and  you  will 
diminish  the  value  of  every  farm ;  —  for  the  best  pur- 
chasers are  likely  to  seek  a  better  place  for  the  home 
of  their  families. 

It  was  not,  however,  such  considerations  as  these 
that  caused  the  early  settlers  to  make  such  efforts  to 
support  the  institutions  of  religion  ;  —  but  rather  their 
strong  sense  of  duty,  their  deep  religious  feeling,  and 
the  conviction  of  the  infinite  importance  of  religion  to 
the  human  soul.  Nor  was  their  religion  confined  to  the 
Church.  It  controlled  all  the  employments  of  life  ;  and 
most  of  all  shone  with  steady  light  in  their  homes. 
There  were  few  families  where  the  voice  of  morning 
and  evening  prayer  was  not  heard ;  and  the  religious 
education  of  the  young  was  esteemed  the  first  and  most 
important  duty. 

It  is  to  this  almost  universal  religious  education  of 
the  young,  —  may  it  never  be  neglected  !  —  to  which, 
more  than  to  any  other  single  thing,  the  welfare  of 
New-England  may  be  traced.  The  ultimate  prosperity 
of  individuals  and  communities  rests  on  character.  This 
is  the  basis  of  rock,  which,  though  waves  beat  and 
storms  blow  and  rains  fall,  is  unmoved ;  —  and  the  char- 
acter of  a  people  depends  on  early  education. 


34 


It  is  to  be  feared  that  it  is  hardly  enough  considered, 
how  the  welfare  of  a  community  depends  on  the  vir- 
tues cherished  in  the  homes  of  that  community.  These 
retired,  unostentatious  virtues  —  the  religious  faith  and 
principle  fostered  in  the  church  and  the  home,  —  are 
the  strong  foundations  on  which  the  state  reposes.  They 
form  the  solid  masonry  below,  on  which  pillar  and  dome 
are  built  above.  Remove  these  private,  unobserved  vir- 
tues, and  the  fabric  of  the  mightiest  kingdom,  will  be 
shattered  from  the  corner  to  the  keystone.  The  strength 
of  states,  depends  not  on  overflowing  treasuries,  nor  on 
navies  that  sweep  the  seas,  nor  on  fortresses  that  frown 
over  the  entrances  of  their  harbors,  but  on  the  virtues 
planted  in  the  hearts  of  the  young,  and  nurtured  in  the 
bosoms  of  the  old.  Point  out  a  people,  where  the  parents 
live  and  children  grow  up  in  the  fear  and  the  love  of  God, 
and  that  people  is  a  mighty  people.  The  nations  of  the 
earth  may  come  up  against  it,  but  they  will  be  scattered 
before  its  invincible  strength,  as  waves  are  scattered 
that  dash  on  a  coast  of  rock.  Every  house  in  such  a 
nation  is  a  fortress,  and  every  heart,  a  living  bulwark. 
Men  grow  strong,  standing  by  the  hearthstones  con- 
secrated by  their  father's  virtues,  and  their  mother's 
prayers.  The  defenders  of  freedom,  driven  from  every 
other  refuge,  have  taken  their  last  stand,  to  die  by  the 
altars  where  their  fathers  have  worshipped.  The 
prayer  of  the  feeble  mother,  with  which  she  baptizes 
her  child's  soul,  as  it  lies  in  the  cradle  —  if  she  be  but 
faithful  to  her  prayer  in  the  education  of  her  child  — 
may  in  time  become  mightier  than  the  sword  of  kings. 
The  first  great  lesson  of  history,  which  he  who  has  not 
learned  has  read  history  in  vain,  is,  how  paltry,  tempo- 
rary, evanescent,  is  that  national  prosperity,  which  is  not 


35 

based  on  the  virtues  of  the  people  ;  and  how  insecure 
and  transient  those  virtues  are,  unless  sustained  by  the 
life-giving  power  of  religion. 

But  I  dwell  too  long  on  these  topics.  In  concluding, 
however,  the  history  of  our  native  town,  we  can  hardly 
fail  of  calling  to  mind  the  many  changes  which  it  has 
witnessed.  The  past  century  has  been  a  most  eventful 
one.  It  might  seem  indeed  that  if  there  were  peace 
anywhere,  it  might  be  amidst  the  quiet  of  these  scenes. 
But  no  place  can  be  dismembered  from  the  rest  of  the 
world  ;  and  this  place  has  sympathized  with  and  felt  the 
influence  of  all  the  changes,  that  have  gone  on  around 
it.  Within  the  last  hundred  years,  four  wars  have  sent 
their  drums  and  trumpets  to  disturb  the  echoes  of  these 
hills.  Within  that  time  the  Indians,  who  then  hunted 
and  fished  along  all  our  streams,  have  disappeared. 
Again  and  again,  the  government  has  changed.  The 
first  portion  of  Wilton  was  granted  by  Massachusetts. 
The  remainder  was  granted  by  the  Masonian  Propri- 
etors, who  held  under  the  Council  of  New-England, 
who  themselves  held  under  James  the  First  of  England. 
Then  came  the  Colonial  government ;  which  in  turn 
was  swept  away  before  the  storm  of  the  Revolution. 
A  century  ago,  the  authority  of  the  monarch  of  France 
was  recognised  throughout  almost  the  whole  length  of 
the  continent.  His  forts  extended  from  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence,  upward  along  the  lakes,  and  beside  the  great 
rivers  of  the  west,  and  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. There  were  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  alone,  in 
garrisons  and  forts,  nearly  two  thousand  French  soldiers. 
And  this  power  continued,  till,  like  the  key-stone  struck 
from  an  arch,  it  was  broken  up  by  Wolf  on  the  heights 
of  Abraham.     The  Spanish  dominion  has  shrunk  and 


36 

withered  away.  And  the  flag  of  England,  instead  of 
overshadowing  the  coast,  floats  only  on  the  uncertain 
winds  of  the  North.  In  the  meantime,  in  the  midst  of 
these  external  changes,  this  great  inland  empire  has 
grown  up,  silently,  swiftly,  while  men  slept,  amid  the 
shadows  of  the  wilderness ;  like  the  coral  walls  of  the 
Indian  seas,  expanding,  rising  to  the  ocean's  surface, 
the  basis  of  a  continent.  And  these  events  have  been 
the  subjects  of  conversation  at  the  fireside,  and  have 
filled  with  fear,  anxiety,  or  rejoicing,  the  hearts  of  the 
generations  among  whom  they  took  place. 

But  there  have  been  changes  more  felt  than  these. 
The  first  settlers  have  of  course  all  gone,  and  of  the 
generation  that  succeeded  them,  scarce  any  remain. 
And  this  great  work  of  change,  this  coming  and  de- 
parture, has  gone  and  still  goes  on  around  us.  In  every 
house  has  been  transacted  its  history  of  sorrow  and 
joy.  Thanksgivings  have  gone  up  from  the  lips  of  pa- 
rents that  a  living  child  was  born.  Here  have  the 
glowing  features  and  opening  minds  of  childhood  been 
watched.  Here  have  affections,  stronger  than  the  grave, 
bound  together  the  hearts  of  the  young.  Here  the  sick- 
lamp  has  burnt,  and  watchers  through  the  long  night  have 
tenderly  smoothed  the  pillow  and  moistened  the  parched 
lips.  Here  prayers  have  ascended  from  beside  the 
domestic  altar,  and  parents  invoked  the  blessing  of  God 
on  those  who  still  remained  beneath  their  roof,  and  on 
their  children  who  wandered  far  away.  And  death 
hath  been  here,  and  with  every  instance  of  mortality 
has  been  the  sundering  of  human  ties,  the  shedding 
of  tears,  and  the  bitter  grief  of  stricken  hearts.  And 
here  I  may  be  permitted  to  refer  to  one,  who  was  the 
personal  friend  of  nearly  all  present,  and  was  to  me  from 


37 

early  childhood  scarcely  less  than  a  parent.  He  was 
expected  to  have  addressed  you  on  this  occasion,  to 
which  he  looked  forward  with  the  greatest  interest.  He 
was  snatched  away  by  a  sudden  and  fearful  death  ;  but 
his  unpretending  virtues,  his  life  of  active  usefulness, 
his  peaceful  spirit,  and  his  example  of  fervent  and  con- 
sistent piety,  will  long  be  held  in  memory.  They  were 
not  consumed  in  the  flames  that  consumed  the  body, 
but  live  and  will  live  as  silent  monitors  to  all  who  sur- 
vive him.  And  not  he  alone  has  gone.  There  are  few 
who  hear  me  who  have  not  themselves  sate  by  the  dying 
beds  of  those  dear  to  them,  and  closed  their  eyes,  and 
followed  them  with  the  sad  procession  of  mourners,  to 
their  last  resting-place.  What  a  history  of  change  and 
sorrow  may  be  read  by  him  who  passes  through  the 
grave-yard,  knowing  who  sleep  beneath  the  narrow 
mounds  beside  him.  There  lie  the  fathers ;  —  there  lie 
kindred  and  neighbors  and  friends.  If  this  were  all, 
how  desolate  the  scene  !  But  thanks  unto  God,  it  is 
not  all.  As  the  Christian  stands  by  these  silent  graves, 
a  still,  small  voice,  the  voice  of  the  revelation  of  the 
Son  of  God,  speaks  to  his  soul  the  divine  assurance  — 
these  dead  shall  live.  The  stone  shall  be  rolled  from 
the  sepulchre,  the  earth  give  up  its  trust,  and  the  buried 
generations  be  clothed  with  life  immortal. 

Through  these  changes  we  too  must  pass.  The 
fathers  are  gone  and  we  have  entered  into  their  labors. 
The  blessings  that  we  have  inherited  we  but  hold  in 
trust,  to  transmit,  after  we  have  enjoyed  them,  to  our 
descendants.  May  this  generation  have  no  reason  to 
blush  for  its  unworthiness.  If  the  instructions  of  those 
who  have  gone  before  be  followed,  here  will  intelligence 
and  virtue  abound,  and  the  fear  of  God  and  the  love  of 


38 


man  be  seen.  Here  shall  multitudes  be  prepared  to 
go  forth  to  fill  places  of  usefulness  in  the  world.  And 
when  in  God's  good  time,  those  now  on  the  scene  shall 
be  called  hence,  we  may  hope  that  it  shall  be  to  join 
the  great  assemblage  of  the  good  and  holy,  in  a  higher 
world. 


Note. — I  would  express  my  thanks  to  the  Committee  of  Arrangements,  for  the 
aid  which  I  have  received  from  them.  Whatever  value  and  interest  this  pam- 
phlet may  have,  is  owing  among  others,  especially  to  Jonathan  Livermore  Esq., 
and  Mr.  Abiel  Abbot.  With  great  expense  of  time  and  labor,  and  with  great  care 
to  be  accurate  in  the  account  of  facts,  they  have  collected  and  put  into  my  hands 
the  materials  that  1  have  used.  They  have  left  to  me  scarcely  more  than  the 
pleasant  and  easy  office  of  arranging  them.  Without  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Liver- 
more,  whose  surprisingly  minute  and  accurate  information  as  to  the  history  of  the 
town,  embraces  probably  every  event  of  any  interest,  this  Address  could  not  have 
been  written. 


APPENDIX. 


As  this  may  be  the  only  account  of  Wilton  published  before  the  next 
Centennial  Celebration,  it  has  been  deemed  proper  to  introduce  into  it 
whatever  might  be  of  any  interest,  not  only  to  the  present  inhabitants  of 
the  town,  but  also  to  their  descendants.  To  our  children,  those 
engaged  in  this  celebration  may  say,  —  we  have  thought  that  no  inci- 
dents which  could  illustrate  the  history  and  progress  of  the  town  and 
the  fortunes  of  its  people  would  be  uninteresting.  While  we  grate- 
fully commemorate  the  virtues  of  the  fathers  who  have  gone  before  us, 
it  gives  us  additional  pleasure  that  in  doing  this,  we  may  also  hand 
down  the  record  of  their  struggles  and  virtues  to  those  who  shall 
come  after  us.  It  is  pleasant  for  us  to  believe  that  they  will  value 
the  good  institutions  of  the  town  the  more,  when  they  see  with  what 
care  and  at  the  cost  of  what  sacrifices  they  were  established.  We 
have  dwelt  on  many  minute  circumstances ;  because  they  are  already 
rapidly  fading  from  the  memory,  and  would  soon  be  lost,  unless 
gathered  up  and  recorded. 


ORIGINAL  PURCHASERS. 

We  publish  a  schedule  of  the  lots  drawn  by  the  original  pur- 
chasers of  Wilton.  We  have  thought  it  might  be  a  matter  of  gen- 
eral interest  and  perhaps  advantage,  inasmuch  as  the  present  owners 
of  the  soil,  hold  their  titles  from  the  original  purchasers.  This  sche- 
dule was  prepared  with  much  labor  and  care  by  the  late  Samuel 
Abbot,  Esq. 

The  first  settlement,  in  1739,  has  already  been  spoken  of.  The 
number  of  inhabitants,  however,  increased  but  slowly  till  1749,  when 


40 


a  Company  purchased  (with  the  exception  of  a  few  farms  previously 
taken  up)  the  township  of  Wilton,  of  the  heirs  of  JohnTufton  Mason. 
Very  few  of  these  purchasers  ever  resided  in  Wilton,  but  of  them 
the  original  settlers,  after  1749,  purchased  their  land.  As  will  be 
seen  in  the  schedule,  the  heirs  of  Mason,  —  the  grantors  of  the  town- 
ship—  formed  a  part  of  this  Company.  It  may  be  added  that  a  share 
consisted  of  240  acres,  containing  three  lots  of  80  acres  each. 


Extract  from  the  Deed  making  the  Grant  of  the  Township  of  Wilton  hy  the 
Masonian  Proprietors. 

Pursuant  to  the  Power  and  Authority  granted 
Province  of  and  vested  in  me  by  the  Proprietors  of  Lands  pur- 
Neto  Hampshire,  chased  of  John  Tufton  Mason  Esq,  in  the  Prov- 
ince of  New  Hampshire  by  their  vote  Passed  at 
their  meeting  held  at  Portsmouth  in  said  Province  the  16th  day  of 
June  1749  I  do  by  these  presents  on  the  terms  and  conditions  here- 
after expressed  give  and  grant  unto  Thomas  Read,  Esq.  Robert 
Fletcher  Junr  Joseph  Blanchard  Junr,  Oliver  Coleburn,  Oliver  Far- 
well,  Jno.  Usher,  Thomas  Spaulding,  John  Lovewell  Junr,  Peter 
Powers,  Humphrey  Hobbs,  John  Combs,  Jos.  Blodget,  Samuel  Fowle, 
Josiah  Swan,  Ezra  Carpenter,  Jona.  Cummings,  Thomas  Parker 
Junr,  John  Varnum,  William  Foster,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Parker, 
Josiah  Butterfield,  Anthony  Emory,  Benj.  Parker  Junr,  Nehemiah 
Abbot,  Samuel  Greele,  Benjn.  Farwell,  Oliver  Whiting,  Jos.  Richard- 
son, Benjn.  Farley,  Jno.  Kendall,  Abraham  Kendall,  David  Adams, 
Joseph  French,  Eleazer  Blanchard,  Zacheus  Lovewell,  Samuel  Far- 
ley, William  Cummings,  Jona.  Powers,  Samuel  Cummings,  Archelaus 
Dale,  Jacob  Putnam,  Nathl.  Putnam,  John  Dale,  Stephen  Herryman, 
John  Shead  and  Ephraim  Putnam,  all  the  right  title  and  property 
of  the  Grantors  aforesaid  of  in  and  to  all  that  part  of  a  township  or 
tract  of  land  in  the  Province  of  New  Hampshire  aforesaid  containing 
five  miles  square  Lying  on  the  branches  of  Souhegan  river  between 
Peterborough  and  Munson  bounded  as  follows,  Beginning  at  the  South- 
west corner  of  the  premises  at  a  white  pine  tree,  which  is  the  North- 
west corner  of  the  Township  No  1  and  runs  from  thence  five  miles  to 
a  white  ash  marked,  from  thence  east  five  miles  to  a  stake  and  stones 
from  thence  South  five  miles  to  a  Chestnut  tree  marked,  from  thence 


41 


west  five  miles  to  the  white  pine  tree  first  mentioned  which  s'd  Town- 
ship is  Lay'd  out,  drawn  for  and  the  lotts  ascertained  to  each  grantee 
respectively  also  two  lotts  for  encouragement  for  building  Mills  and 
three  shares  for  public  uses  viz.  one  for  the  first  settled  minister,  one 
for  the  Ministry  and  one  for  the  school. 

In  witness  whereof  I  the  Subscriber  Joseph  Blanchard  of  Dunstable 
have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal  this  first  day  of  October  1749. 

Joseph  Blanchard. 

The  schedule  of  the  lots  drawn  is  certified  thus : 
"  The  afore-written  lists  were  drawn  and  fiuished  at  Dunstable,  the 
16th  day  of  October  1749. 

Copy  examined  for 

Jos.  Blanchard,  Prs.  Clerk." 

SCHEDULE    OF    LOTS     DRAWN. 


- 

— 

! 

Township  No.  2. 

-.i 

s 

— 

=. 

Et 

r. 

z 

6 

if 

B 

e 

6 

•    d 

- 

Z 

- 

S. 

-: 

Z 

- 
4 

0 
13 

z; 
13 

9 

2 
3 

1  16 

- 
1 

Robert  Fletcher,  Jr. 

1 

9 

4 

9 

3 

11 

Nehemiah  Abbot 

Joseph  Blanchard,  Jr. 

2 

8 

4 

a 

3 

20 

IS 

Samuel  Greele 

45 

9 

8 

9 

9|  8 

7 

Oliver  Colburu 

3 

111 

6 

i 

10 

16 

3 

Benjamin  Farwell 

16 

10 

9 

9 

6:19 

9 

Minister 

6 

12 

7 

17 

Id 

JO 

4 

Oliver  Whiting 

17 

6 

4 

7 

4;  7 

3 

Oliver  Farwell 

7 

11 

5 

2 

7 

1 

2 

Joseph  Richardson 

18 

17 

5 

16 

3 

John  Usher 

8 

6 

5 

6 

6 

1 

1 

Benjamin  Farley 

50 

19 

8 

18 

• 

Thomas  Spalding 

9 

18 

) 

13 

1 

U 

1 

Joseph  Blodget 
John  Kend.iil 

51 

16 

7 

13 

5 

John  Lovewell,  Jr. 

10 

8 

6 

2 

10 

l 

•-. 

52 

5 

9 

6 

814 

8 

Peter  Powers 

12 

13 

7 

16 

10 

20 

1 

Abraham  Kendall 

55 

9 

5 

1 

Humphrey  Hobbs 

14 

4 

4 

6 

3 

10 

2 

Peter  Powers 

00 

,C 

4 

18 

415 

3 

John  Combs 

16 

4 

3 

8 

2 

9 

2 

David  Adams 

66 

17 

1 

Joseph  Blodgett 

17 

5 

5 

6 

li 

3 

7 

Joseph  French 

57 

4 

7 

5 

7 

6 

10 

Samuel  Fowle 

19 

13 

3 

13 

2 

12 

10 

Eleazer  Blanchard 

60 

1 

6 

1 

9 

1 

6 

Josiah  Swan 

to 

13 

6 

10 

10 

11 

10 

Robert  Fletcher,  Jr. 

61 

18 

2 

19 

2 

19 

l 

F.zra  Carpenter 

22 

12 

6 

17 

3 

15 

1 

Zacheus  Lovewell 

62 

20 

10 

10 

5 

7 

: 

Jonathan  Cumings 

25 

3 

2 

4 

2 

11 

3 

Samuel  Farley 

65 

20 

9 

11 

7 

U 

9 

Thomas  Parker,  Jr. 

21 

3 

8 

12 

2 

7 

2 

William  Cumings 

64 

2 

2 

4 

1 

5 

l 

John  Varnum 

25 

3 

4 

1 

3 

2 

5 

Jonathan  Powers 

65 

2 

3 

2 

4 

2 

l 

Pet.  Powers  &  A.  Dale 

27 

7 

8 

7 

7 

7 

1 

Samuel  Cumings 

66 

6 

2 

5 

2 

G 

l 

Ministry' 

28 

17 

2 

8 

8 

9 

1 

Nathaniel  Putnam 

72 

16 

3 

Thomas  Read,  Esq. 

30 

11 

l 

19 

4 

19 

3 

Mill  Lots 

67 

13 

4 

14 

4 

William  Foster 

32 

7 

H) 

20 

8 

10 

7 

John  Dale 

68 

IG 

2 

21 

2 

Mr.  Thomas  Parker 

54 

18 

17 

111 

7 

18 

3 

Jacob  Putnam 

69 

15 

5 

18 

5 

Josiah  Butterlield 

35 

17 

7 

11 

2 

17 

6 

Stephen  Herryman 

70 

17 

4 

15 

4 

Anthony  Emory 
Benj.  Parker,  Jr. 

S6 

15 

! 

2 

8 

9 

8 

Archelaus  Dale 

71 

16 

6 

40 

11 

8 

id 

8 

13 

10 

John  Shead 

19 

14 

6 

15 

G 

Peter  Powers 

41 

13 

B 

14 

8 

20 

G 

Lphraim  Putnam 

75 

15 

5 

School  lots 

12 

11 

'.' 

ID    9 

l< 

1 

Note.  —  Third  column  of  figures,  6th  line  from  bottom,  17th  range,  is  a  mistake 
for  7th. 

6 


42 


The  foregoing  lots  were  drawn  by  the  Grantees  ;  those  that  fol- 
low were  drawn  by  the  Grantors,  the  respective  lots  of  each  entered 
against  his  name. 


Thomas  Parker,  Esq. 
M.  H.  Wentwnnh,  Esq. 
Jotham  Odiorne,  Esq. 
Joseph  Bhnchard,  Esq. 
Thomas  Wallingford,  Esq. 
Joshua  Pierce,  Esq. 
William  Parker,  Esq. 
John  Wentworth,  Jr. 
John  Moflatt,  Esq. 
Nathaniel  Meserve  and  others 
Daniel  Pierseand  Mary  Moore 
Matthew  Livermore,  Esq. 
Richard  Wibird,  Esq 
Theodore  Atkinson,  Esq. 
John  Tufton  Mason,  Esq. 
Mark  H.  Wentworth,  Esq. 
S.  Solly  and  C.  March,  Esq. 
"George  JafTrey,  Esq. 


«  a 


8  10 
8    5 


12    3 

10  3 

11  2 
4,  6 

1910 

2  G 
6    7 

17    9 

3  9 

4  10 
15    « 

14  10 
15|  7 

15  10 
9 

I7|  8 


9|10 
1 


The  Charter  incorporating  the  town  of  Wilton  is  under  the  hand 
of  B.  Wentworth,  Governor  of  N.  H.,  and  dated  the  2d  day  of  Jan- 
uary, A.  D.  1765. 


REVOLUTIONARY   TIMES. 

The  town  papers  relating  to  the  affairs  of  Wilton  during  the  war 
of  the  Revolution,  have  unfortunately  in  great  part  been  lost  by  ne- 
glect or  desroyed.  The  papers  that  remain  have  been  carefully  exam- 
ined, and  the  more  interesting  facts  contained  in  them  incorporated 
with  such  other  information  as  we  have  been  able  to  procure. 

Our  notices  of  what  was  done,  and  especially  as  regards  the  ex- 
penditures occasioned  by  the  war,  are  very  imperfect,  but  they  will 
serve  to  show  the  spirit  that  animated  the  town. 

Nearly  every  able-bodied  man  belonging  to  Wilton,  was  out  in  the 
war,  and  every  man  in  the  town  either  did  service  personally,  or  hired 
another  to  fill  his  place  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period.  Wilton  was 
represented  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  a  large  number  of  the 


43 


able-bodied  men  were  in  the  army  at  Cambridge.  It  is  known  that 
at  least  eight,  and  probably  more,  were  in  the  battle  of  Bennington, 
one  of  whom,  Ebenezer  Perry,  was  killed.  Eleven  of  those  that  were 
lost,  died  in  the  campaign  of  1776  in  the  North-western  Army.  Two 
died  in  New  York  about  the  time  of  the  battle  of  White  Plains,  and 
two  at  Valley  Forge.  Others  were  wounded,  but  it  is  not  known  that 
more  than  one  was  killed  in  battle. 

We  are  indebted  to  Col.  Jonathan  Burton  for  accounts  (found 
among  the  papers  of  his  father,  who  was  one  of  the  selectmen  of  Wil- 
ton during  four  years  of  the  war)  of  the  money  paid  on  several  occa- 
sions to  soldiers  from  this  town.  The  first  is  a  receipt.  It  is  as  fol- 
lows:— 

Wilton,  March  19,  1777. 

"  We,  the  subscribers,  do  each  one  for  himself  acknowledge  that  we 
have  received  of  Capt.  William  Barron,  by  the  hand  of  Jonathan  Bur- 
ton, the  whole  of  arrears  of  all  kinds  for  our  services  as  soldiers 
in  the  continental  army  in  the  year  1776,  in  Col.  Wyman's  Regiment. 
We  say  received  by  us."* 

The  next  account,  is  one  "  of  money  paid  to  soldiers  in  the  conti- 
nental army  by  the  town  of  Wilton  in  the  year  1777."  This  money 
was  paid  for  prior  services,  and  was  paid  early  in  the  year  1777.  The 
whole  amount  paid  to  fourteen  persons  at  this  time  was  £lY3Q  10s. 
Three  others  received  at  a  later  date,  a  proportionate  compensation. 

We  have  next  "  the  account  of  the  bounties  given  by  the  town  of 
Wilton,  to  the  first  three-years'  men  who  engaged  in  the  Continental 
army  for  said  tour."  The  number  of  men  was  fourteen,  and  the  sum 
they  received  as  bounty  from  the  town,  was  ,£273  5s. 

The  second  three-years'  men  left  for  the  army  in  March,  1781. 
In  order  to  encourage  men  to  volunteer,  the  town  gave  a  bounty  to 
every  one  who  enlisted.  This  bounty  was  more  than  equivalent  to 
what  a  laboring  man  would  have  received,  had  he  remained  at  home 
to  work  on  a  farm.  On  account  of  the  great  depreciation  of  the  cur- 
rency, it  was  deemed  more  just  to  the  soldiers  and  for  the  town,  to  pay 
this  bounty  in  something  not  subject  to  such  dimunition  in  value  as 

*  This  receipt  is  signed  by  the  following  persons :  —  Ephraim  Baker,  Abijah 
Perry,  Jacob  Putnam,  Administrator,  Richard  Whitney,  William  Parkhurst,  Ar- 
chelaus  Keney,  Asa  Peirce,  Phineas  Farington,  Isaac  Peabody,  Abraham  Burton, 
Archelaus  Putnam,  Phebe  Parker  for  her  husband  who  died,  Theodore  Stevens, 
Henry  Stevens. 


the  continental  money.  This  bounty  was  entirely  independent  of  the 
regular  pay  which  they  received.  It  was  agreed  that  each  man  should 
receive  20  head  of  cattle  to  be  as  many  months  old  as  they  should 
serve  months  in  the  army.  A  bond  given  to  one  of  them  will  be  seen 
in  the  note.*  All  of  the  last  three-years'  men  returned,  and  as  it  was 
more  agreeable  to  them,  the  town  entered  into  an  arrangement  with 
them  by  which  the  cattle  were  to  be  estimated  at  $8  per  head ;  thus 
making  for  the  three  years  $160  to  each  man,  in  addition  to  the  conti- 
nental pay.  The  town  likewise  made  up  to  them  their  personal  ex- 
penses for  clothing.     The  sum  paid  instead  of  the  cattle  was  $1280. 

In  1777  Ichabod  Perry  enlisted  for  during  the  war. 

The  first  three-years'  men,  who  enlisted  in  1777,  were  Humphrey 
Cram,  David  Hazleton,  William  Burton,  Asa  Lewis,  Uriah  Ballard, 


*  Know  all  men  by  these  presents,  that  we,  Philip  Putnam,  Nathan  Ballard, 
Jonathan  Burton,  and  Abner  Stiles,  gentlemen  ;  Jonathan  Martin,  William  Abbot, 
and  Richard  Whitney,  selectmen  for  the  town  of  Wilton,  being  jointly  chosen  a 
committee,  by  said  town,  for  procuring  and  hiring  Continental  soldiers  for  said 
town,  for  the  term  of  three  years,  do  hereby  stand  firmly  bound  and  obliged  to 
Asa  Reddington,  of  Wilton,  aforesaid,  his  Heirs,  Executors,  and  Aministrators,  and 
Assignees,  forever,  in  the  sum  of  Four  Hundred  Spanish  milled  dollars,  equal  to 
one  hundred  and  twenty  Pounds  of  Lawful  Silver  money,  to  be  paid  to  the  said 
Asa  Reddington,  his  heirs,  &c,  within  three  years  from  the  date  hereof. 

The  condition  of  this  present  obligation  is  such,  that  if  the  above-named  Philip 
Putnam,  Nathan  Ballard,  Jonathan  Burton,  Abner  Stiles,  Jonathan  Martin,  William 
Abbot,  and  Richard  Whitney,  being  a  committee,  chosen  by  the  town  abovesaid, 
in  their  capacity  or  either  of  them,  shall  procure  and  deliver  unto  the  abovesaid 
Asa  Reddington,  twenty  neat  cattle  of  a  middling  size  as  an  encouragement  to  the 
said  Reddington  serving  as  a  Continental  soldier  for  the  term  of  three  years,  if  not 
sooner  discharged,  and  the  said  Reddington  is  to  receive  the  cattle  at  as  many 
months  old  as  he  doth  months  service  in  the  army. 

And  furthermore,  the  Committee  engages,  that  if  the  said  Reddington  doth  not 
receive  his  clothing  of  the  Regimental  Paymaster,  according  to  the  order  of  this 
State,  by  the  said  Reddington  bringing  a  certificate  from  the  Paymaster  to  us,  we 
will  make  good  the  said  clothing;  and  at  the  delivery  of  the  cattle,  if  the  said 
Reddington  is  dissatisfied  as  to  the  value  of  them,  we  oblige  ourselves  in  our 
capacity  to  leave  the  same  to  any  disinterested  person. 

And  if  this  obligation  is  fulfilled  in  manner  and  form,  above-mentioned  unto  the 
said  Reddington,  then  this  present  obligation  to  be  void  and  of  none  effect ;  other- 
wise to  remain  in  full  force  and  virtue.     Signed,  sealed  and  delivered, 
This  fourteenth  day  of   March,  1781.     In  pre-  c      Here  follow  the  signature* 
sence  of  us,  {     of  the  Committee. 

James  Dascomb, 

William  Browjt 


45 

Joseph  Gray,  Christopher  Martin,  Nehemiah  Holt,  Amos  Holt,  Wil- 
liam Pettengill,  Wm.  A.  Hawkins. 

The  last  three-years'  men  were,  Joseph  Gray,  Israel  How,  Uriah 
Ballard,  Timothy  Abbot,  John  Greele,  Benjamin  Pierce,  Daniel  Holt, 
Joel  Holt,  Asa  Reddington,  Daniel  Barker. 

The  following  men  served  in  1776: — Samuel  Pettengill,  Lieut. 
Benjamin  Pettengill,  Nurss  Sawyer,  Solomon  Holt,  Caleb  Putnam, 
Peter  Putnam,  Josiah  Parker,  Christopher  Martin,  Uriah  Ballard, 
Nehemiah  Holt,  Wm.  A.  Hawkins,  promoted  to  be  Captain,  May 
22,  1779. 

Many  others  were  out,  among  whom  was  Isaac  Fry,  who  served 
through  the  whole  war,  and  at  its  close  returned  with  the  brevet  rank 
of  Major. 

The  three-years'  men  from  Wilton  were  engaged  in  1777,  on  Hud- 
son river,  against  Burgoyne,  in  the  affairs  of  the  19th  September  and 
7th  of  October.  They  were  also,  in  1779,  with  Sullivan,  in  the  In- 
dian country.. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  those  who  died  in  the  Revolution- 
ary service  : — 

William  Burton  died  at  Valley-Forge  Spring,  1778  ;  Asa  Cram, 
Jonathan  Gray,  Jeremiah  Holt,  Amos  Holt,  Solomon  Holt,  James 
Holden,  August  29th,  1776;  John  Honey,  October  24th,  1776; 
James  Hutchinson,  Joseph  Lewis,  at  Valley-Forge;  Lieut.  Samuel 
Pettengill,  1776;  Benjamin  Pettengill,  his  son,  1776;  Ebenezer  Per- 
ry, 2d,  Ebenezer  Perry,  Jonas  Perry,  Caleb  Putnam,  August  22d, 
1776;  Peter  Pulnam,  Josiah  Parker,  October  22d,  1776;  Asa 
Pierce,  Isaac  Russell,  September  loth,  1776;  Nurss  Sawyer,  Archi- 
laus  Wilkins,  Jr. 

The  following  is  the  Covenant  of  Non-Importation  and  Non-Consumption  of 
Goods  from  Great  Britain.  [See  Records  of  Wilton  for  July  15  and  September 
8,  1774.] 

We,  the  subscribers,  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Wilton,  having 
taken  into  our  serious  consideration  the  precarious  state  of  the  liber- 
ties of  North  America,  and  more  especially  the  present  distressed  con- 
dition of  our  sister  colony  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  embarrassed  as  it 
is,  by  several  Acts  of  the  British  Parliament,  tending  to  the  entire 
subversion  of  their  natural  and  charter  rights,  among  which  is  the 
act  for  blocking  up  the  harbor  of  Boston ;  and  being  fully  sensible  of 
our  indispensable  duty  to  lay  hold  on  every  means  in  our  power  to 


46 


preserve  and  recover  the  injured  Constitution  of  our  country ;  and 
conscious  at  the  same  time  of  no  alternative  between  the  horrors  of 
slavery  or  the  carnage  and  desolation  of  civil  war,  but  a  suspension 
of  all  commercial  intercourse  with  the  Island  of  Great  Britain ;  do, 
in  the  presence  of  God,  solemnly  and  in  good  faith,  covenant  and  en« 
gage  with  each  other  : — 

1.  That,  from  henceforth,  we  will  suspend  all  commercial  inter- 
course with  the  said  Island  of  Great  Britain,  until  the  Parliament  shall 
cease  to  enact  laws  imposing  taxes  on  the  colonies  without  their  con- 
sent, and  until  the  pretended  right  of  taxing  is  dropped,  and  Boston 
Port  opened,  and  their  and  our  constitutional  rights  and  privileges  are 
restored. 

2.  That  there  may  be  less  temptation  to  others  to  continue  in  the 
said  now  dangerous  commerce,  and  in  order  to  promote  industry, 
economy,  arts  and  manufactures,  among  ourselves,  which  are  of  the 
last  importance  to  the  welfare  and  well-being  of  a  community;  we 
do  in  like  manner  solemnly  covenant,  That  we  will  not  buy,  pur- 
chase, or  consume,  or  suffer  any  person  by,  for,  or  under  us,  to  pur- 
chase ;  nor  will  we  use  in  our  families,  in  any  manner  whatever,  any 
goods,  wares,  or  merchandize,  which  shall  arrive  in  America  from 
Great  Britain,  aforesaid,  from  and  after  the  last  day  of  August,  1774, 
(except  only  such  articles  as  shall  be  judged  absolutely  necessary  by  a 
majority  of  the  signers  hereof,)  and,  as  much  as  in  us  lies,  to  prevent 
our  being  interrupted  and  defeated  in  this  only  peaceable  measure  en- 
tered into  for  the  recovery  and  preservation  of  our  rights  and  the 
rights  of  our  brethren  in  our  sister  Colonies,  we  agree  to  break  off  all 
trade  and  commerce  with  all  persons  who,  preferring  their  private 
interests  to  the  salvation  of  their  now  almost  perishing  country,  shall 
still  continue  to  import  goods  from  Great  Britain,  or  shall  purchase 
of  those  who  import  after  the  said  last  day  of  August,  until  the  afore- 
said pretended  right  of  taxing  the  Colonies,  shall  be  given  up  or 
dropped,  (except  so  much  as  christian  duties  require). 

3.  As  a  refusal  to  come  into  this  or  a  similar  agreement,  which 
promises  deliverance  of  our  country  from  the  calamities  it  now  feels, 
and  which,  like  a  torrent,  are  rushing  upon  it  with  increasing  vio- 
lence, must,  in  our  opinion,  evidence  a  disposition  inimical  to,  or 
criminally  negligent  of,  the  common  safety ;  it  is  agreed,  that  all  such 
ought  to  be  considered,  and  shall  by  us  be  esteemed,  as  encouragers 
of  contumacious  importers. 


47 


4.  Wea hereby  further  engage,  that  we  will  use  all  reasonable  meth- 
ods, to  encourage  and  promote  the  production  of  manufactures  among 
ourselves,  that  this  covenant  and  engagement  may  be  as  little  detri- 
mental to  ourselves  and  our  fellow-countrymen  as  possible. 

Lastly, —  We  allow  ourselves  liberty  to  comply  with  the  result  of 
the  General  Congress  at  Philadelphia.  Also,  we  agree  to  make  such 
alterations  in  this  Covenant  as  shall  be  thought  suitable  by  the  major- 
ity of  signers,  after  notice  given  in  a  public  manner  by  a  committee 
chosen  for  that  purpose,  which  notice  shall  be  eight  days  before  the 
meeting. 


ECCLESIASTICAL    AFFAIRS. 

The  First  Congregational  Church  in  Wilton  was  embodied 
and  the  first  Pastor,  Rev.  Jonathan  Livermore,  ordained,  Dec.  14, 
1763.  From  Jan.  1,  1764,  to  Dec.  31,  1776,  were  admitted  to  the 
church  by  dismission  and  recommendation  from  other  churches, 
twenty-nine.  By  profession,  one  hundred  and  eighteen.  Whole 
number,  one  hundred  and  forty-seven.  Number  of  Baptisms  during 
the  same  time,  three  hundred  and  fifteen. 

During  Mr.  Fiske's  ministry,  admissions  to  the  church  were  two 
hundred  and  nineteen,  forty-eight  of  whom  were  admitted  by  virtue  of 
dismissions  and  recommendations  from  other  churches.  Baptisms, 
seven  hundred  and  thirty-eight. 

In  the  interval  between  Mr.  Fiske  and  Mr.  Beede,  admissions  to 
the  church,  three.     Baptisms,  seven. 

During  Mr.  Beede's  ministry,  admissions  to  the  church,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifteen.     Baptisms,  one  hundred  and  ninety. 

From  Jan.  13,  1829,  when  Mr.  Beede  left,  to  the  present  time,  Sept. 
25,  1839,  admissions  to  the  church,  forty-two.  Admitted  by  recom- 
mendations and  dismissions  from  other  churches,  from  Mr.  Fiske's  to 
the  present  time,  sixteen.  Baptisms  from  Jan.  13,  1829,  to  the  pre- 
sent time,  thirty.  Whole  number  of  admissions  to  the  church,  five 
hundred  and  forty-two.  Whole  number  of  Baptisms,  twelve  hundred 
and  eighty. 

The  present  number  of  the  members  of  the  church,  is  seventy- 
seven. 


48 


The  ministers  settled  over  the  First  Congregational  Church  and 
Society,  have  been  as  follows: — 

Jonathan  Livcrmore,  ordained  Dec.  14,  17G3,  Resigned,  Feb.  1777. 

Abel  Fisk,  "         Nov.  18,  1778,  Died  April  21,  1S02. 

Thomas  Beede,  ¥        March  2, 1803,  Resigned,  Jan.  13,  1829. 

Stephen  A.  Barnard,      «         Jan.  13,  1830,  "         April,  1833. 

A.  D.  Jones,    installed,  Jan.  1,  1834.  "         Jan.  1,  1836. 

Nathaniel  Whitman,  the  present  minister,  installed  Oct.  5,  1836. 

The  Baptist  Church  in  Wilton  was  constituted  April  7, 1817,  con- 
sisting of  eleven  members  from  the  Baptist  church  in  Mason,  dis- 
missed for  that  purpose.  On  the  same  day,  seven  persons  were  bap- 
tized and  united  with  the  church,  and  shortly  after  six  others  from 
the  church  in  Mason  were  added.  Fourteen  of  the  members  of  the 
church  were  dismissed  a  kw  years  since  to  form  a  church  in  Lynde- 
borough.  The  present  number  of  its  members  is  eighty-three,  of 
whom  fifty-eight  reside  in  the  town. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  church,  Benjamin  F.  Lane,  a 
Licentiate,  was  employed  as  a  preacher  for  a  few  months.  He  was 
followed,  June  6,  1818,  by  Rev.  Ezra  Wilmarth  who  was  soon  after 
installed  their  first  pastor,  and  continued  with  them  nearly  five  years. 
He  was  succeeded  for  a  year  by  Rev.  Reuel  Lathrop  ;  after  which, 
for  a  season,  they  were  supplied  by  neighboring  ministers.  The 
meeting-house  was  erected  by  the  church  and  society  in  1827,  and 
was  dedicated  November  7,  of  the  same  year.  On  the  same  day, 
Rev.  Simon  Fletcher  was  ordained  as  their  pastor,  and  continued 
with  them  three  years.  He  was  followed,  March  12,  1830,  by  Rev. 
Caleb  Brown,  who  afterwards  became  their  pastor  for  two  years.  In 
1833,  Rev.  Harrison  VV.  Strong  received  ordination,  and  became 
their  pastor  for  two  years.  Rev.  John  Cannon  was  minister  from 
June,  1835,  to  June,  1836.  Rev.  Ezra  Wilmarth  then  supplied  their 
pulpit  for  a  few  months.  In  the  autumn  of  1837,  Rev.  N.  W.  Smith 
took  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church,  and  continued  with  them 
eighteen  months.  Since  that  time  they  have  had  only  occasional 
preaching.  At  the  present  time  they  are  enjoying  the  labors  of  Mr. 
John  Chick,  a  licentiate. 

The  Second  Congregational  Church  was  organized  July  18, 
1823,  consisting  of  seventeen  members.  Whole  number  added  to 
the  church  since  its  organization,  including  the  original  members, 
and  twenty-one  since  added  from  the  First  Church,  one  hundred  and 


49 

sixty-two.  Present  number  belonging  to  the  church,  one  hundred 
and  eleven ;  nineteen  having  died,  and  thirty-two  having  been  dis- 
missed and  recommended  to  other  churches.  Baptisms,  infant,  fifty  ; 
adults,  seventeen  ;  whole  number,  sixty-seven. 

The  Meetinghouse  was  built  in  1829,  and  dedicated  January  1 , 
1830.  Their  first  and  present  pastor,  Rev.  William  Richardson,  was 
ordained  December  15,  1730. 

The  Universaust  Society  was  established  in  1813.  It  has  en- 
joyed occasional  preaching,  but  has  had  no  settled  minister  re- 
siding in  Wilton.  It  is,  however,  occasionally  united  with  socie- 
ties in  the  neighboring  towns  in  the  support  of  a  regular  minister. 
We  have  been  unable  to  ascertain  the  number  of  those  who  consider 
themselves  at  the  present  time  as  connected  with  the  society. 

The  following  account  of  the  first  minister,  Rev.  Jonathan  Liver- 
more,  written  soon  after  his  death,  has  been  furnished  us  by  its  au- 
thor, Rev.  Ebenezer  Hill,  of  Mason,  who  was  a  brother  clergyman 
and  intimate  friend  of  Mr.  Livermore. 

"  Rev.  Jonathan  Livermore  was  born  at  North  borough,  Mass.  Dec. 
7,  1729,  O.  S.  and  entered  a  student  at  Harvard  College  in  the  year 
1756,  N.  S.,  and  graduated  in  the  year  1760.  To  qualify  himself 
for  the  gospel  ministry  was  his  professed  object  in  seeking  a  liberal 
education.  Whether  he  was  prevented  applying  himself  to  learning 
at  an  earlier  period  of  life  by  unfavorable  circumstances,  or  that  his 
mind  had  taken  a  different  turn  about  that  time,  is  unknown  to  the 
speaker.  But  at  his  advanced  age  to  commence  a  preparatory  course 
of  study  for  such  a  work,  appears  to  be  strong  proof  that  he  had 
weighed  the  matter,  and  sincerely  devoted  himself  to  serve  God,  and 
his  generation  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  ministerial  labors.  So 
soon  as  the  year  1763,  he  was  ordained,  and  constituted  pastor  of  the 
church  in  this  town ;  in  which  office  he  continued  and  labored  until 
the  year  1776.  And  from  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by 
his  brethren  in  the  ministry,  who  were  acquainted  with  his  labors 
and  manner  of  life,  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  he  discharged 
his  ministerial  duties  with  faithfulness.  About  the  year  1776  was  a 
period  in  which  many  changes  took  place,  and  tender  relations  were 
dissolved.  At  this  time  of  troubles  Mr.  Livermore  was  induced  to 
resign  his  office  of  pastor  of  the  church  in  this  place.  But  although 
his  particular  relation  to  this  church  and  people  ceased,  he  did  not 
7 


50 


relinquish  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  loved  to  preach  the  gospel 
of  Christ ;  and  willingly  labored  wherever  divine  Providence  seem- 
ed to  open  a  door  ;  and  his  brethren  and  the  congregations  around 
have  experienced  many  of  his  labors  of  love.  In  his  preaching,  he 
aimed  not  to  please  the  fancy,  but  to  inform  the  understanding  and 
affect  the  heart  of  the  hearers.  And  notwithstanding  his  special  re- 
lation was  removed  to  another  church,  and  he  did  not  commune 
with  this  church  at  the  table  of  the  Lord ;  yet  he  constantly,  when  at 
home,  attended  on  the  public  worship  of  God,  and  lived  in  brotherly 
love  with  his  successor." 

"  In  the  family  his  christian  character  was  conspicuous  in  the  regu- 
larity and  religious  order  which  prevailed,  in  his  great  tenderness  tow- 
ards his  partner,  in  the  religious  education  of  his  children,  and  in 
his  earnest  solicitude  for  their  spiritual  welfare.  While  he  labored 
to  teach,  he  set  the  example  in  all  religious  duties.  In  the  evening  of 
a  long  life  the  powers  of  both  his  mind  and  body  were  remarkably 
strong  and  vigorous  ;  and  he  contemplated  death  as  near  at  hand  with 
apparent  satisfaction,  and  as  the  time  of  his  release.  And  although 
cut  off  at  last  by  a  stroke  so  sudden  as  to  give  no  opportunity  to  ex- 
press his  views  and  feelings  in  the  actual  conflict  with  death  ;  we 
must  be  permitted  to  indulge  the  hope  that  he  was  ready  to  open  to 
his  Lord." 

The  following  extract  gives  the  character  of  Rev.  Abel  Fiske,  the 
second  minister.  It  is  from  the  sermon  of  Rev.  William  Emerson, 
preached  at  Wilton,  March  2, 1803,  at  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Thomas 
Beede. 

'*  My  brethren  of  this  church  and  congregation,  when  that  God 
who  is  too  wise  to  err,  and  too  good  needlessly  to  afflict  his  children, 
was  pleased  to  deprive  you  of  your  late  pastor,  you  were  not  the  only 
mourners  ;  his  praise  was  in  every  church,  which  was  ever  favored 
with  his  services,  and  his  merit  acknowledged  by  all  who  knew  him. 
Some  of  the  earliest  impressions,  which  this  heart  received,  were  from 
his  instructive  lips ;  and  here,  until  it  ceases  to  beat,  shall  the  wis- 
dom, prudence,  moderation,  and  piety  of  a  Fiske  be  remembered 
with  melancholy  pleasure." 

A  farther  notice  is  contained  in  a  note  appended  to  the  same  dis- 
course, which  is  as  follows  : — 

"  The  late  Rev.  Abel  Fiske  was  born  of  respectable  parents  at 
Pepperell,  Mass.  May  28,  1752.    In  1774  and  1777,  he  received  the 


61 

honors  of  Harvard  College.  He  studied  theology  at  Concord  with 
the  author's  father  in  1775  and  1776,  and  during  part  of  the  time  was 
master  of  the  Grammar  School  in  that  town,  where  he  was  beloved 
by  his  pupils,  and  respected  by  the  inhabitants.  November,  1778,  he 
was  ordained  in  this  place.  The  faithful  discharge  of  his  pastoral 
functions,  and  his  steady  adherence  to  the  principles  of  order  and  good 
government  greatly  endeared  him  to  his  flock,  and  obtained  him  the 
high  regards  and  confidence  of  his  numerous  friends.  His  death 
caused  by  a  paralytic  affection  in  the  throat,  happened  April  21, 1802, 
and  was  deeply  regretted  in  this  part  of  the  country.  His  intimate 
friend,  Rev.  John  Bullard,  of  Pepperell,  preached  an  affecting  sermon 
at  his  funeral  from  Acts  xx.  37,  38.  He  was  twice  married,  and  has 
left  a  wife  and  five  children." 


MISCELLANEOUS  NOTICES. 

Sabbath  Schools.  The  first  was  established  in  May,  1816,  and 
is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  in  America,  whose  leading  object  — 
according  to  the  plan  now  universally  followed  —  was  to  give  moral 
and  religious  instruction.  Seventy  children  attended  the  first  season. 
The  text-book  used  was  the  Bible,  and  the  Bible  only.  The  number 
of  teachers  and  pupils  now  belonging  to  the  Sunday  School  of  the 
First  Parish  is  about  one  hundred  and  thirty.  The  Baptist  and 
Second  Congregational  churches  have  also  Sabbath  schools  connected 
with  them.  

Libraries.  The  oldest  public  library  is  the  Town  Library ;  it  has 
flourished  and  languished  alternately  for  at  least  fifty  years. 

The  Ministerial  Library  owes  its  origin  and  peculiar  plan  to  Rev. 
Abiel  Abbot,  D.  D.,  who,  in  1824,  presented,  for  the  use  of  the  min- 
ister of  the  First  Congregational  Society,  a  large  number  of  books  to 
five  Trustees,  viz.  Rev.  Thomas  Beede,  Ezra  Abbot,  Samuel  Abbot, 
Eliphalet  Putnam,  and  Timothy  Parkhurst,  and  requested  them  to 
preserve  and  increase  the  library,  and  when  there  should  be  a  vacancy 
in  the  Board  of  Trustees,  to  select  some  person  from  said  society  to 
fill  it.  An  act  of  incorporation  was  soon  after  obtained.  The  officers 
are  a  President,  Clerk,  Librarian,  and  Treasurer ;  the  last  two  give 
bonds  for  a  faithful  discharge  of  their  duties.  At  the  annual  meet- 
ing, the  boooks  are  carefully  inspected,  and  written  reports  made 
and  recorded  of  the  state  of  the  library  and  of  the  funds.     Accord- 


52 

ing  to  one  of  the  bye-laws,  whoever  gives  ten  dollars  at  any  one  time 
for  the  use  of  the  library,  or  books  to  that  amount,  becomes  there- 
by a  Patron,  entitled  to  the  privilege  of  taking  out  books,  during 
life.  There  is  a  permanent  fund  for  the  increase  of  the  library,  now 
amounting  to  $250,  of  which  $100  were  given  by  Rev.  Dr.  Abbot, 
8100  by  Samuel  Abbot,  Esq.,  and  $50  by  Deacon  Ezra  Abbot.  The 
interest  only  of  this  fund  is  expended.  Donations  of  books  have 
been  made  from  time  to  time  by  Dr.  Abbot  and  others.  A  few  years 
ago  a  subscription  paper  was  issued  to  the  young  men,  and  somewhat 
more  than  $100  were  obtained,  of  which  Samuel  Abbot  paid  $75. 
This  money  was  appropriated  for  the  increase  of  the  library,  which 
now  contains  about  600  volumes.  Agreeably  to  the  directions  of  its 
founder  and  principal  contributor,  all  ministers  of  the  gospel  resident 
in  Wilton  may  have  the  gratuitous  use  of  the  library ;  also,  the  Con- 
gregational minister  of  Wilton  may  have  the  gratuitous  use  of  the 
library  established  by  the  same  individual,  and  on  a  similar  plan,  in 
Peterboro' ;  and  the  Congregational  minister  of  Peterboro'  may  have 
the  like  use  of  the  Wilton  Library. 

A  Library  of  200  volumes  belongs  to  the  First  Congregational  So- 
ciety. It  was  opened  for  the  first  time  in  October,  1838.  Its  foun- 
dation was  la'd  by  a  donation  of  50  volumes  from  Deacon  Samuel 
Greele  and  friends  in  Boston,  and  of  100  volumes  from  Augustus 
Greele,  Esq.  of  New  York.  Books  of  great  value  have  been  added 
to  this  library  the  present  year.  It  is  open  to  all  the  members  of  the 
parish. 

The  Sunday  School  Library  of  the  First  Congregational  Society 
contains  400  volumes.  The  books  were  selected  with  great  care, 
mostly  by  S.  Abbot,  Esq. 

The  Second  Congregational  Society  has  also  a  Library. 

Sunday  Noon  Reading  Room.  This  was  opened  chiefly  by  the 
efforts  of  Samuel  Abbot,  Esq.  in  1822,  for  the  accommodation  of  that 
portion  of  the  people,  who,  living  at  a  distance  from  the  church, 
cculd  not  conveniently  go  home  during  the  interval  between  the  fore- 
noon and  afternoon  services.  It  was  furnished  with  books,  pamphlets, 
and  papers  of  a  serious  kind,  suitable  for  Sunday  reading.  At  first 
it  was  in  a  neighboring  hall ;  but  recently  the  books,  &c.  were  re- 
moved to  the  meeting-house. 


Schools.     There  are  in  the  town,  nine  school-districts  and  ten 


53 

school-houses.  The  sum  raised  for  the  support  of  schools  during  the 
year  1839,  was  $600.  The  average  length  of  the  district-schools 
is,  in  winter  about  two  months,  and  in  summer  about  three  months. 
It  is  believed  that  all  the  children  in  the  town,  who  have  arrived  at  a 
proper  age,  without  a  single  exception,  unless  prevented  by  ill-health 
or  some  such  accidental  hindrance,  regularly  attend  school. 

The  school-right  of  land  was  sold  June  1,  1769.  The  interest 
which  the  town  received  on  the  sum  for  which  this  land  was  sold, 
amounted  up  to  the  year  1776,  annually,  to  .£5  9s.  5id.,  Lawful 
money.  In  1784,  and  subsequently,  the  fund  was  £67  16s.,  equal  to 
8226.  The  interest  on  this,  and  also  the  interest  of  the  Literary 
Fund,  is  applied  to  the  support  of  schools  in  addition  to  the  annual 
tax. 

Representatives  of  the  town,  since  July  15, 1774.    Jacob  Abbot 
Jonathan  Martin,  Abiel  Abbot,  William  Abbot,  Jr.,  Philip  Putnam, 
Jonathan  Burton,  Abiel  Wilson,   Ephraim  Peabody,  John  Stevens> 
Samuel  Abbot,  Jonathan  Burton,  2d.,  Joel    Abbot,  Abram  Whitte- 
more,  Daniel  Batchelder. 

Selectmen,  since  the  first  town-meeting  held  under  the  charter, 
July  27,  1762.  James  Brown,  John  Dale,  John  Cram,  Ebenezer 
Perry,  Jacob  Putnam,  Ephraim  Butterfield,  John  Burton,  Jr.,  Nathan 
Ballard,  Amos  Holt,  Abner  Stiles,  Abiel  Abbot,  Philip  Putnam,  Jo- 
seph Butterfield,  James  Dascomb,  James  Maxwell,  Jacob  Abbot 
Joseph  Holt,  Richard  Taylor,  Jonathan  Martin,  William  Abbot,  Jr., 
Jacob  Adams,  Simon  Keys,  Samuel  Greele,  Joshua  Blanchard,  Moses 
Putnam,  Archelaus  Batchelder,  Richard  Whitney,  Jeremiah  Abbot, 
Abram  Burton,  Joseph  Abbot,  Jr.,  John  Dale,  Jr.,  Daniel  Lovejoy, 
Samuel  Greele,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Livermore,  Bar.  Abbot,  Abiel  Wilson, 
Eliphalet  Putnam,  William  Pettengill,  Isaac  Spaulding,  R.  T.  Buss, 
Lewis  Smith,  Ephraim  Peabody,  Ezra  Abbot,  Jonathan  Burton,  2d., 
John  Mack,  John  Stevens,  Oliver  Whiting,  Asa  Stiles,  Jonathan 
Parkhurst,  Amos  Holt,  Timothy  Abbot,  Jr.,  Abram  Whittemore,  Joel 
Abbot,  O.  Perham,  Daniel  Batchelder,  Jr.,  Timothy  Gray,  Oliver 
Barrett,  J.  Barrett  Howard,  Moses  Lovejoy,  Asa  Stiles,  2d. 

Town  Clerks.  Eben  Perry,  Philip  Putnam,  John  Burton,  Jr., 
Jacob  Abbot,  Joseph  Holt,  William  Abbot,  Jr.,  Abiel  Abbot,  Abiel 
Wilson,  Jonathan  Burton,  2d.,  John  Stevens,  Timothy  Parkhurst. 


54 


War  op  1812.  In  this  war,  Wilton  had  two  men  in  the  regular 
army.  Abiel  Wilson,  Jr.  held  a  Lieutenant's  commission,  and  Tim- 
othy Mclntire  enlisted  as  a  private  soldier.  Mclntire  was  slain  in 
battle,  on  the  northern  frontier,  in  the  summer  of  1814.  The  militia 
of  New  Hampshire  were  called  upon  to  defend  Portsmouth,  and  Wil- 
ton furnished  seven  or  eight  men ;  one  of  whom,  named  Foster,  was 
taken  sick,  and  died  on  his  way  home. 

Casualties.  The  number  of  deaths  by  accident  has  been  thirty- 
nine.  Of  these,  five  were  killed  by  falling  trees,  or  were  crushed  by 
logs ;  four  were  drowned  ;  five  were  killed  by  the  fall  of  the  meeting- 
house frame  ;  seven  were  scalded ;  one  was  burnt ;  three  committed 
suicide,  and  the  deaths  of  the  remainder  were  occasioned  by  differ- 
ent accidents.     Of  the  whole  number,  twelve  were  children. 


Mortality.  The  whole  number  of  deaths  during  the  last  ten 
years  is  162.  Average  yearly  mumber,  16^.  Average  age,  36.  Six 
persons  died  over  90.  The  whole  number  of  deaths  during  the  seven 
years  beginning  with  1784  and  ending  with  1790,  was  71 ;  births, 
281 ;  excess  of  births,  210.  Average  number  of  deaths  yearly,  was 
10T\y.  The  population  of  the  town  was  nearly  the  same  as  now, 
being  in  1786,  1013,  and  in  1790,  1105.  This  shows  that  the 
average  number  of  deaths  in  the  town  has  increased  more  than  one 
third. 

Population.  In  1739  there  were  two  families;  in  1755  there 
were  70  persons;  in  1763,240;  in  1775,623;  in  1786,  1013;  in 
1790,  1105.  Since  1790  the  population  has  remained  almost  uni- 
formly the  same,  varying  but  little  from  1100,  and  having  never  been 
greater  than  in  1790.  The  town  contains  45  inhabitants  to  the 
square  mile. 

Height  of  Land.  The  lowest  land  in  town  on  which  there  is  a 
dwelling-house,  belongs  to  the  Wilton  Manufacturing  Company,  oc- 
cupied by  Abram  Whittemore,  Esq.  The  most  elevated  land,  is 
owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  John  Kimball. 

Fires.    The  only  dwelling-houses  ever  destroyed  by  fire  in  town, 


55 


were,  Deacon  John  Flint's,  burnt,  April,  1810;  and  Benjamin  Par- 
ker's, burnt,  May,  1833.  Two  barns  have  been  burnt :  one  set  on 
fire  by  accident,  in  1774,  belonging  to  James  Dascomb  ;  the  other 
belonging  to  a  Mr.  Wood,  was  struck  by  lightning  and  consumed  in 
the  evening,  August  9,  1779. 

Roads  and  Bridges.  The  expense  of  new  roads  made  in  Wilton, 
during  the  last  fifteen  years,  independent  of  all  the  ordinary  repairs 
of  the  highways,  has  been  above  $10,000. 

The  first  bridge  over  the  Souhegan  was  the  one  on  the  interval 
above  French's  mills,  and  was  built  in  1760,  by  Henry  Parker.  It 
was  at  first  entirely  of  wood.  Its  stone  abutments,  the  first  in  town, 
were  built  in  the  summer  of  1793. 

Prices.  During  the  ten  years  following  the  Revolution,  the  ave- 
rage price  of  wheat  was  about  one  dollar  and  a  half  the  bushel ; 
rye,  one  dollar,  and  corn  seventy-five  cents.  The  usual  wages  of  a 
hired  man  on  a  farm  were  from  forty-five  to  fifty  dollars  a  year. 
Eight  dollars  a  month,  or  forty  cents  a  day,  were  given  to  those  em- 
ployed only  during  the  haying  season. 

Slaves.  There  were  formerly  four  slaves  in  town,  owned  by 
Thomas  Russell,  Maj.  Samuel  Greele,  Alexander  Milliken,  aud  Ar- 
chelaus  Batchelder.  Two  of  the  slaves  were  males ;  two  females. 
The  latter  are  still  living. 

Carriages.  The  first  chaise  was  introduced  into  Wilton  in  1770, 
and  owned  by  Rev.  Mr.  Livermore.  There  was  no  other  till  after  the 
Revolution.  The  first  one-horse  wagon  made  its  appearance  in  1812. 
The  first  sleighs  were  large  double  ones,  holding  ten  or  twelve  per- 
sons. They  supplanted  sleds  as  a  vehicle  for  carrying  families  to 
meeting.  They  were  introduced  as  early  as  1777,  and  were  soon  in 
common  use. 

Mills,  Manufactories,  Mechanics,  etc  There  are  now  eight 
saw-mills  in  operation;  five  grist-mills;  three  tanneries;  two  fulling 
mills ;  one  bobbin  factory ;  one  cotton  factory,  burnt  in  1839  and  not 
yet  rebuilt ;  one  starch  factory,  owned  and  carried  on  by  people  of 
Wilton,  but  itself  in  the  border  of  Mason ;  four  blacksmiths;  ten  shoe- 


56 


makers,   including  journeymen  ;  two  cabinet  makers  ;    one  hatter  j 
three  stores  ;   two  taverns. 

Pauperism.  The  first  pauper  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Stratton, 
who  received  aid  from  the  town  before  the  Revolution.  From  this 
time  till  1830  there  were  but  seven  families —  and  these  but  in  part — 
who  were  supported  by  the  town.  Some  other  individuals,  but  very 
few  in  number,  have  occasionally  received  aid.  In  1830,  a  farm  for 
the  poor  was  purchased,  and  has  since  been  carried  on  by  the  town. 
The  products  of  this  farm  have  been  nearly  sufficient  in  most  years  to 
pay  the  wages  of  the  overseer  and  family,  and  for  the  support  of  the 
poor. 

Temperance.  Before  the  Revolution,  although  ardent  spirits  were 
occasionally  used  by  most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  intemper- 
ance was  almost  unknown.  During  the  war,  the  habits  of  camps 
gradually  infected  the  country  ;  and  although  the  town  was  never  an 
intemperate  one,  ardent  spirits  were  in  common  use.  As  the  orchards 
grew  up,  a  large  number  of  cider-mills  were  erected,  and  large  quan- 
tities of  cider  were  made  to  be  consumed  in  the  town.  It  became 
also  an  important  and  profitable  article  of  export.  But  within  the 
last  fifteen  years,  nearly  all  of  the  cider-mills  have  been  suffered  to 
fall  into  decay,  little  cider  is  made,  and  very  few  of  the  inhabitants 
are  in  the  habit  of  drinking  ardent  spirits.  It  speaks  well  for  the 
moral  sense  of  the  people,  that  this  great  change  has  been  brought 
about  easily  and  naturally,  from  the  change  of  views  and  feelings  in 
individual  minds,  and  with  little  aid  from  foreign  influence.  A  refor- 
mation, of  this  unforced  growth,  wrought  in  the  individual  by  the 
action  of  the  individual  mind  and  conscience,  no  one  can  doubt  will 
be  permanent.  The  Wilton  Temperance  Society  was  organized  about 
five  years  ago,  and  now  consists  of  between  300  and  400  members. 

Missionaries.  Lydia  Brown  went  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  in 
1836.  Amos  Abbot  and  wife  (her  maiden  name  was  Anstress  Wil- 
son,) sailed  for  Bombay  in  May,  1834,  and  are  employed  as  school 
teachers. 

Graduates.  Abiel  Abbot,  D.  D.  1787 ;  Rev.  Jacob  Abbot,  1792 ; 
William  Abbot,  Esq.  1797 ;  John  Stevens  Abbot,  1801 ;  Solomon 
K.  Livermore,  Esq.  1802 ;  Ebenezer  Rockwood,  Esq.,  1802 ;  Samuel 


57 


Greele,  Esq.  1802;  Samuel  Abbot,  Esq.  1808;  Rev.  Samuel  Bar- 
rett, 1818;  Rev.  Warren  Burton,  1821  ;  Rev.  Abiel  A.  Livermore, 
1833.  —  The  above  were  graduates  of  Harvard  University.  -  The  fol- 
lowing graduated  at  Dartmouth  College.  Daniel  Rockwood,  Esq. 
1811,  Augustus  Greele,  Esq.  Ibl3;  Timothy  Parkhurst,  M.  D. 
1813  ;  Abner  Flint,  Esq. ;  David  Morgan,  Esq.  1835;  Lubim  Burton 
Rockwood,  1^39.  The  graduates  of  Bowdoin  College  are,  Joseph  H. 
Abbot,  Esq.  Ie22:  Rev.  Ephraim  Peabody,  1827;  Ezra  Abbot,  Esq. 
1830;  Abiel  Abbot,  1831.  Rufus  Abbot,  M.  D.  graduated  at  Yale 
College,  1834  ;  Charles  Abbot,  Esq.  at  Amherst,  1835;  Samuel  Flint, 
Esq.  at  Middlebury ;  Kev.  John  Keyes  and  Rev,  Nathaniel  Abbot 
Keyes  were  natives  of  Wilton,  and  after  removing  from  the  town,  re- 
ceived a  college  education.  Hermon  Abbot,  M.  D.  was  two  years  in 
Harvard  College,  and  Rev.  Alvah  Steele,  three  years  at  Yale,  but 
did  not  graduate ;  Levi  Abbot  is  in  his  last  year  at  Yale.  Whole 
number,  twenty-nine.  Of  these,  twelve  studied  or  are  studying  divinity ; 
three  are  physicians  ;  six  studied  law,  and  the  remainder  have  been 
employed  in  different  occupations.  Of  several  of  the  above,  not 
now  living,  had  we  the  materials  we  should  be  glad  to  make  longer 
mention.  We  have  received  brief  accounts  of  two  of  them,  which  we 
insert,  thinking  that  they  may  be  of  interest  to  their  fellow-townsmen. 

Ebenezer  Rockwood,  Jr.,  son  of  Dr.  E.  Rockwood,  and  one  of  the 
most  gifted  of  the  sons  of  Wilton,  was  graduated  at  Harvard  Univer- 
sity, A.  D.  1802.  While  an  undergraduate,  he  had  a  high  reputation 
as  a  scholar  and  a  young  man  of  genius.  He  commenced  the  prac- 
tice of  law  in  Boston.  Though  unaided  by  that  patronage,  which 
arises  from  large  acquaintance  and  powerful  family  connexions,  his 
extraordinary  talent  for  his  profession  soon  brought  him  extensive 
business.  He  was  considered  among  the  ablest  advocates  of  the 
Suffolk  bar.  His  mind  was  deeply  embued  with  christian  princi- 
ples, and  he  felt  a  strong  interest  in  the  religious  institutions  of  the 
country.  He  died  in  the  spring  of  A.  D.  1815.  His  early  death 
blighted  many  fond  hopes,  and  occasioned  deep  and  lasting  regret  in 
the  hearts  of  a  large  circle  of  friends,  who  admired  him  for  his  genius, 
and  loved  him  for  his  virtues. 

Samuel  Abbot,  Esq.     He  died  January  2,  1839,  being  burnt  in 
a  starch  factory,  carried  on  by  him,  in  Jaffrey,  N.  H.     He  was  a 
graduate  of  Harvard  College  in  1808,  studied  law,  and  practised  first 
8 


58 


in  Dunstable,  N.  H.,  and  afterwards  in  Ipswich,  Mass.  He  then  gave 
up  the  practice  of  his  profession  and  removed  to  Wilton.  His  inves- 
tigations led  him  to  believe  that  starch  might  be  obtained  in  greater 
abundance  and  at  a  cheaper  rate  from  potatoes  than  from  any  other 
substance,  and  in  connection  with  his  brother,  Ezra  Abbot,  he  en- 
tered into  the  business  of  manufacturing  potato-starch,  for  which  he 
invented  the  machinery.  He  was  the  first  to  open  a  branch  of  busi- 
ness which  has  since  been  carried  on  extensively  in  various  parts  of 
the  country,  and  has  given  an  additional  value  to  the  agricultural 
products  of  the  districts  where  it  is  done.  He  was  a  man  of  a  very 
philosophical  and  highly  cultivated  mind.  There  is  scarcely  a 
branch  of  science,  of  literature,  or  any  department  of  morals  or  the- 
ology with  which  he  was  not  apparently  as  familiar  as  if  it  had  been 
the  particular  study  of  his  life.  He  was  always  ready,  with  personal 
exertions  and  his  purse,  to  help  forward  any  good  enterprise.  His 
unambitious  career  was  bright  with  a  daily  usefulness.  His  life  bore 
witness  that  the  finest  minds  may  find  as  large  a  sphere  of  useful- 
ness in  the  retirements  of  the  country  as  among  the  crowd  of  a  city. 
Few  have  been  more  beloved  and  respected  when  living,  or  more 
widely  mourned  when  dead.  A  manuscript  memoir  of  Mr.  Abbot,  by 
Rev.  A.  A.  Livermore,  may  be  found  in  the  Wilton  Ministerial  Library. 

Family  Records.  It  was  intended  to  give  a  brief  account  of  the 
descendants  of  the  first  settlers.  But  we  have  been  able  to  obtain 
no  accounts  of  this  kind  with  the  exception  of  the  following. 

John  Burton  and  wife  moved  from  Middleton,  Mass.  to  Wilton 
about  1760.  He  had  three  sons,  the  eldest,  John,  was  the  deacon 
of  the  church.  Jonathan,  the  second  son,  was  a  very  prominent  and 
useful  man  in  the  town ;  was  selectman  sixteen  years ;  was  repre- 
sentative to  the  General  Court  in  1796,  and  justice  of  the  peace. 
He  was  a  soldier  at  Louisburg,  and  served  several  times  in  the 
revolutionary  army,  in  which  he  held  the  rank  of  lieutenant,  and 
some  time  after  the  Revolution,  was  appointed  captain,  and  then  major 
in  the  militia.  The  descendants  of  John  Burton,  the  first  settler, 
were  quite  numerous,  and  are  to  be  found  scattered  abroad  in  at 
least  eight  different  states  of  the  Union. 

Thomas  Russell  came  to  Wilton  from  Andover  Mass.  in  June, 
1770,  with  four  small  children.     The  whole  number  of  his  descend- 


59 


ants  has  been  221.     The  number  now  living  is  197.     The  number 
residing  in  Wilton,  23. 

Ashby  Morgan  was  born  at  New  Salem,  N.  H.  March  27,  1749, 
brought  up  in  Pelham,  commenced  working  on  his  farm,  which  was 
in  a  state  of  nature,  in  June,  1770  ;  removed  his  family  in  1772.  The 
whole  number  of  his  descendants,  151;  deaths,  45;  now  living  in 
Wilton,  28. 

Barachias  Abbot  removed  from  Andover  September  6,  1786. 
Whole  number  of  descendants,  55 ;  now  living,  40 ;  living  in  Wil- 
ton, 10. 

Rev.  Jonathan  Livermore.  Whole  number  of  descendants,  34  ; 
now  living,  25  ;   in  Wilton,  15. 

Major  Abiel  Abbot  settled  in  Wilton  in  1764.  He  was,  during 
his  life,  one  of  the  influential,  active,  and  useful  citizens  of  the  town. 
He  was  ten  times  elected  selectman,  and  filled  various  other  offices  of 
trust.  Jeremiah  Abbot,  his  brother,  came  the  same  year.  And  Wil- 
liam Abbot,  another  brother,  settled  here  in  1772.  He  was  also, 
during  the  whole  of  his  life,  a  prominent  man  in  town  affairs.  The 
descendants  of  the  three  brothers  are  very  numerous.  Many  remain 
in  Wilton —  many  settled  in  Maine  —  and  others  are  found  scattered 
in  almost  every  state  of  the  Union. 


Amusements.  Wrestling  was  practised  on  all  occasions  of  public 
meeting,  raisings,  &c  until  about  1815,  when  the  custom  died  away. 
Shooting  matches,  once  common,  were  discontinued  about  the  same 
time.  Hunting  matches,  in  which  two  captains  choose  sides,  each  side 
being  composed  often  or  twelve  young  men,  and  their  object  being  to 
see  which  side  shall  bring  in,  on  an  appointed  day,  the  largest  amount 
of  game,  have  been  occasionally  continued  to  the  present  day.  These 
matches  have  usually  taken  place  about  election  time,  or  in  the  au- 
tumn, and  have  been  occasions  of  great  interest  and  excitement  to 
those  engaged  in  them.  Sleigh-rides  are  frequent  in  the  winter. 
Formerly,  when  the  ministers  were  married,  immense  parties  com- 
posed of  nearly  all  who  could  command  a  sleigh,  went  out  in  proces- 
sion to  meet  the  newly  wedded  pair.  When  Mr.  Beede  was  married, 
such  a  party  met  him  on  his  return,  to  welcome  him  and  his  bride  to 


CO 


her  new  home,  at  a  tavern  in  Amherst,  ten  miles  from  Wilton.  There 
have  been  no  balls  or  dancing  schools  since  1829.  Games  at  cards 
were  never  common.  Public  lectures,  the  formation  of  libraries  and 
practical  education  generally,  have  changed  the  tastes  and  greatly 
improved  the  moral  condition  and  usages  of  society. 

Wild  Animals.  Deer  were  killed  in  the  east  part  of  the  town 
as  late  as  1775.  Bears  and  wolves  were  trapped  and  killed  as  late  as 
1787.  Within  the  memory  of  persons  now  living,  men  have  been  treed 
by  bears.  This  happened  to  Abiel  Abbot,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  who 
being  in  the  woods,  unarmed,  and  pursued  by  one,  was  obliged  to 
take  to  a  tree.  The  bear  sat  and  watched  him,  till  wearied  with  the 
delay  and  annoyed  by  a  small  dog  which  Mr.  A.  had  with  him,  he 
finally  left  him.  In  the  winter,  the  wolves  came  down  from  the 
mountains  for  food,  and  it  was  no  unusual  thing  for  parties  to  go  out 
in  pursuit  of  them.  Wild  turkeys  were  shot  as  late  as  1797.  Two 
moose  have  been  killed  within  the  borders  of  the  town,  —  one  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Ephraim  Brown,  and  one  near  Mason,  killed  by  a 
man  of  the  name  of  Blood.  Two  extensive  meadows  were  flowed  by 
the  Beaver  ;  one  on  the  farm  owned  by  Oliver  Whiting,  and  another 
on  the  farm  of  John  Dale.  Their  dams  are  yet  to  be  seen.  Salmon 
were  caught  in  the  Souhegan  about  one  hundred  rods  below  its  junc- 
tion with  Stony  Brook,  as  late  as  I77;J— 4. 

Most  of  these  facts,  as  well  as  various  other  interesting  memo- 
randa for  the  Centennial  Celebration  have  been  kindly  communicated 
by  Harvey  Spalding,  Esq. 

We  have  been  favored  with  a  letter  from  Dr.  Abiel  Abbot,  now  in 
the  75th  year  of  his  age,  and  the  oldest  man  born  in  Wilton  now  liv- 
ing, giving  an  account  of  the  early  customs  of  the  town  The  pic- 
ture he  gives,  is  at  the  same  time  so  minute  and  so  vivid,  that  we  pub- 
lish it  entire. 

My  Dear  Sir,  —  As  I  have  so  good  an  opportunity  to  send  to  you, 
I  will  not  neglect  it ;  and  it  being  Sunday  evening,  I  will  say  a  word 
about  Sunday  of  olden  times.  On  Saturday  evening  the  work  of  the 
week  was  finished.  My  father,  after  washing,  and  putting  on  a  skillet 
of  water,  would  get  his  razor  and  soap,  sit  down  by  the  fire  and  take 
off  his  beard;  after  which  he  would  take  his  Bible,  sometimes  some 
other  book.  My  mother  after  washing  the  potatoes,  &c,  and  pre- 
paring for  Sunday  food,  used  to  make  hasty  pudding  for  supper,  which 


61 


was  eaten  in  milk,  or  if  that  was  wanting,  with  butter  and  molasses. 
The  little  children  were  put  to  bed ;  early  in  the  evening,  my  father 
read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible  and  offered  a  prayer,  soon  after  which 
the  younger  part  of  the  family  and  the  hired  help  went  to  bed ;  in- 
deed, the  family  every  night  went  to  their  rest  soon  after  supper, 
especially  in  the  summer.  Saturday  night  and  Sunday  and  Sunday 
night,  a  perfect  stillness,  no  play  going  on,  no  laughing.  Those  of 
us  who  were  old  enough,  took  the  Testament,  or  learned  the  Cate- 
chism or  a  hymn ;  and  read  in  the  Testament  or  Primer  to  father  or 
mother,  in  the  morning.  For  breakfast,  when  we  had  milk  sufficient, 
we  had  bread  and  milk  ;  when  this  failed,  bean  and  corn  porridge  was 
the  substitute.  Sometime  after  the  Revolutionary  War,  for  Sunday 
morning  tea  and  toast  were  often  used.  As  we  lived  at  a  distance 
from  meeting,  those  who  walked  set  out  pretty  soon  after  9  o'clock, 
and  those  who  rode  on  horseback  were  obliged  to  start  soon  after 
them  ;  the  roads  and  pole  bridges  were  very  bad,  and  the  horses  always 
carried  double,  and  often  a  child  in  the  mother's  lap,  and  sometimes 
another  on  the  pommel  of  the  saddle  before  the  father.  All  went  to 
meeting,  except  some  one  to  keep  the  house  and  take  care  of  the 
children,  who  could  not  take  care  of  themselves.  The  one  that  staid 
at  home,  was  instructed  when  to  put  the  pudding,  pork  and  vegeta- 
bles into  the  pot  for  supper  after  meeting.  Those  who  went  to  meet- 
ing used  to  put  into  their  pockets  for  dinner  some  short-cake,  or 
dough-nuts  and  cheese.  We  used  to  get  home  from  meeting  at  4 
o'clock,  often  much  later.  Immediately,  the  women  set  the  table, 
and  the  men  took  care  of  the  horses,  and  in  the  winter,  the  other 
cattle,  &c.  In  the  short  days,  it  would  often  be  sundown  before,  or 
very  soon  after,  we  got  home.  The  sled  with  oxen  was  often  used 
for  meeting  when  the  snow  was  deep,  or  by  those  who  did  not  keep  a 
horse.  After  supper,  the  children  and  younger  part  of  the  family 
were  called  together  and  read  in  the  Testament  and  Primer,  and  if 
there  was  time,  said  their  Catechism  (the  Assembly's)  and  some 
short  hymns  and  prayers.  Soon  after  this,  in  the  Summer,  before 
my  father  read  in  the  Bible  and  offered  prayer,  the  cows  were  brought 
from  the  pasture  and  milked.  No  work  was  performed  except  what 
was  deemed  absolutely  necessary ;  the  dishes  for  breakfast  and  supper 
were  left  unwashed  till  Monday.  Every  person  in  the  town  able  to  go 
to  meeting,  went;  if  any  were  absent,  it  was  noticed,  and  it  was  sup- 
posed that  sickness  was  the  reason.  If  any  one  was  absent  three  or 
four  Sundays,  the  tything  man  would  make  him  a  visit;  this,  however, 


62 


was  a  rare  case.  The  Sabbath  was  not  unpleasant  to  me ;  early  habit, 
I  suppose,  rendered  the  restraint  by  no  means  irksome.  I  do  not 
recollect  feeling  gloomy,  or  disposed  to  play,  or  wishing  Sunday  was 
gone  or  would  not  come. — I  don't  think  of  any  thing  more  to  say 
about  Sunday,  except  that  the  meeting-house  was  well  filled. 

Now  what  more  shall  I  say  1  A  word  about  schools.  These  were 
poor  enough.  We  used  to  read,  spell,  write  and  cipher,  after  a  sort. 
Our  teachers  were  not  taught.  The  Primer,  Dilworth's  Spelling 
Book,  and  the  Bible  or  Testament  were  the  books.  No  arithmetic; 
the  ciphering  was  from  the  master's  manuscript.  My  father  became 
sensible  that  the  schools  were  useless,  and  in  the  winter  of  1782 
hired  Mr.  John  Abbot,  who  was  then  a  sophomore  in  college,  to  teach 
a  month  or  five  weeks  in  his  vacation,  and  invited  the  district  to  send 
their  children  gratis.  This  gave  a  new  complexion  to  the  school  in 
the  South  District;  and  for  a  number  of  years  after,  qualified  teachers 
were  employed  about  eight  weeks  in  the  winter,  usually  scholars  from 
college.  Soon  after  the  improvement  in  the  South  District,  some  of 
the  other  districts  followed  in  the  same  course.  To  this  impulse, 
I  think,  we  may  impute  the  advance  of  Wilton  before  the  neighbor- 
ing towns  in  education,  good  morals  and  sound  theology.  I  venerate 
my  father  and  mother,  more  than  for  any  thing  else,  for  their  anxiety 
and  sacrifices  to  give  their  children  the  best  education,  literary  and 
religious,  in  their  power.  And  it  gives  me,  as  I  have  no  doubt  it  did 
them,  and  must  you  and  all  the  rest  of  their  descendants,  the  highest 
satisfaction,  that  their  desires  were  so  well  gratified  and  their  labors 
successful.  Their  children,  grand-children,  and  so  on  to  the  twen- 
tieth generation,  will  have  reason  to  bless  the  memory  of  parents  of 
such  true  worth. 

Now  for  something  else  For  breakfast  in  olden  times,  were  bread 
and  milk,  as  soon  as  the  cows  were  milked,  for  all  the  family.  When 
milk  failed,  bean  porridge  with  corn.  About  9  o'clock  there  was  a 
baiting  or  luncheon,  of  bread  and  cheese  or  fried  pork  and  potatoes. 
For  dinner  a  good  Indian  pudding,  often  in  it  blue-berries  and  suet ; 
pork  and  beef,  through  the  winter  and  spring ;  potatoes,  turnips,  cab- 
bage, &c.  At  four  or  five  o'clock,  P.  M.,  in  the  summer,  some  bread 
and  cheese,  or  the  like.  For  supper,  bread  and  milk.  When  milk 
failed,  milk-porridge,  hasty-pudding  and  molasses,  bread  and  mo- 
lasses, bread  and  beer,  &c.  When  there  was  company  to  entertain, 
chocolate  for  breakfast,  no  coffee.  Pewter  basins  or  porringers,  and 
sometimes  wooden  bowls   were  used  when   spoons  were  required. 


63 


Trenchers  or  wooden  plates  were  used  at  dinner;  when  a  friend 
dined,  pewter  plates  were  used  by  father  and  mother  and  the  friend. 
You  probably  remember  the  pewter  platters  and  plates  usually  stand- 
ing on  the  shelves.  None  but  pewter  spoons.  The  cup  for  beer 
was  pewter.  After  which  came  the  brown  mug.  If  a  neighbor 
came  in  for  any  purpose,  he  was  asked  to  drink  beer  or  cider.  When 
women  visited  their  neighbors,  they  went  early  in  the  afternoon, 
carried  their  work,  and  rtturned  home  before  sundown  to  take  care 
of  milking  the  cows,  &c.  Their  entertainment  was  commonly  short- 
cake baked  by  the  fire,  and  tea,  except  in  the  early  part  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary War.  For  the  visit,  they  often  put  on  a  clean  chequered  apron 
and  handkerchief  and  short  loose  gown. 

In  the  winter,  several  of  the  neighbors  would  meet  for  a  social 
evening,  and  would  have  a  supper.  There  were  no  select  par- 
ties ;  all  were  neighbors  in  the  Scripture  sense.  The  maid  and 
boy  in  the  family,  the  same  as  the  children  in  all  respects.  I  do 
not  recollect  ever  hearing  a  profane  word  in  my  father's  family  from 
any  of  his  hired  men,  nor  at  school  at  Wilton  or  Andover  acade- 
my>  I  do  not  think  that  profane  language  was  used  by  any  in 
the  town  till  after  the  Revolutionary  War.  Industry  and  economy 
were  the  order  of  the  times.  I  do  not  remember  seeing  my  father 
or  mother  angry;  they  were  sometimes  displeased  no  doubt.  My 
father  in  the  winter  used  to  go  to  Salem  or  Marblehead  to  market 
with  shook-hogshead  staves,  rye,  pork,  butter,  &c,  and  procure  salt, 
molasses,  tea,  rum,  &,c,  for  the  year,  as  there  were  no  traders  in  the 
new  towns.  Rum  was  not  used  except  in  haying  and  harvest,  and  on 
particular  occasions  of  hard  service  and  exposure,  such  as  washing 
sheep,  burning  large  pieces  of  wood,  &c.  Intoxication  was  very 
rare;  I  do  not  remember  more  than  one  man  being  intoxicated. 
Rum  was  commonly  used  at  raising  buildings ;  half  a  gill  was  a  good 
dram.  After  raising  a  building,  if  finished  before  night,  the  amuse- 
ments were  wrestling,  goal,  coits,  &c.  Goal  was  the  favorite  play 
with  boys  the  day  after  thanksgiving,  and  election  days,  which  were  all 
the  holidays,  I  remember.  Good  humor  and  cheerfulness  always  pre- 
vailed in  our  family,  and  it  was  generally  so  I  believe.  Enough  for 
the  present.  Faithfully  yours, 

Abiel  Abbot. 

We  venture  to  add  to  the  interesting  statements  contained  in  the 
foregoing  letter,  one  fact  within  our  knowledge,  relating  to  a  religious 
custom  of  former  times.    It  was  the  habit  of  the  early  inhabitants  of 


64 


this  town  to  have  their  children  baptized  in  the  church  the  Sunday 
after  they  were  born,  whatever  the  season  of  the  year  or  the  state  of 
the  weather;  and  accordingly,  the  writer  of  the  above  sketch  was 
himself,  before  he  was  a  week  old,  carried  three  miles,  in  the  month 
of  December,  to  be  baptized  in  the  meeting-house,  in  which  there 
was  no  fire !  What  would  our  ancestors,  could  they  revisit  the  earth, 
say  of  some  of  their  descendants,  who  cannot  be  prevailed  on  to 
bring  their  offspring,  even  from  the  nearest  distance,  to  the  holy  font, 
at  any  age,  or  in  any  season  ? 


The  following  extract  from  a  letter,  just  received  from  S.  K.  Liver- 
more,  Esq.,  we  are  happy  to  insert  here. 

Dear  Sik,  —  That  1  may  contribute,  if  it  be  as  the  poor  widow's 
mite,  to  the  benefits  proposed  by  the  Celebration,  1  will  furnish  one 
anecdote,  illustrative  of  the  energy  of  the  early  settlers  in  Wilton, 
and  the  hardships  they  endured,  which  may  serve  to  reprove  the  ef- 
feminacy and  self-indulgence  of  the  present  day. 

One,*  who  was  long  since  gathered  to  his  fathers,  told  me  that  in 
a  severe  winter,  when  the  highways  were  blocked  with  snow,  he  sev- 
eral times  travelled  on  snow-shoes  about  seven  miles,  bought  a  bushel 
of  corn  and  carried  it  on  his  back  to  mill  and  thence  home. 

It  is  well  to  perpetuate  the  knowledge  of  facts  like  this,  that  suc- 
ceeding generations  may  more  fully  appreciate  the  virtues,  and  trials, 
and  labors  of  those,  by  whose  instrumentality  they  are  in  possession 
of  their  present  advantages,  and  may  guard  against  that  degeneracy, 
by  which,  if  not  resisted,  they  will  unavoidably  be  divested  of  them. 
It  is  earnestly  to  be  desired  that  the  scenes  and  events  brought  to  view 
by  the  exercises  of  the  late  Celebration,  may  be  indelibly  impressed 
upon  the  minds  of  the  present  and  future  generations,  and  that  they 
will  thereby  be  stimulated  to  a  course  of  conduct,  which  will  mani- 
fest that  they  truly  honor  the  memory  of  their  ancestors 


The  following  are  such  stanzas  as  can  be  recovered  from  the  poem, 
referred  to  in  the  Address,  on  the  fall  of  the  Meeting-house  frame. 

In  Seventeen  Hundred  Seventy-Three, 

September,  seventh  day, 
In  Wilton  did  Almighty  God, 

His  anger  there  display. 

*  Mr.  Amos  Holt. 


65 


A  very  great  collection  met, 

The  meeting-house  to  raise, 
Wherein  to  speak  God's  holy  word, 

Also  to  sing  his  praise. 

God  did  their  labor  prosper  and 

Erecting  of  the  frame, 
Until  it  was  almost  complete, 

And  joyful  they  became. 

They  thought  the  worst  was  past  and  gone 
And  they  were  bold  and  brave ; 

Poor  souls,  they  did  but  little  think, 
They  were  so  near  the  grave  j 

All  of  a  sudden  broke  a  beam, 

And  let  down  fifty-three ; 
Full  twenty-seven  feet  they  fell, 

A  shocking  sight  to  see  ! 

Much  timber  with  these  men  did  fall, 

And  edged  tools  likewise  ; 
All  in  a  heap  together  lay, 

With  groans  and  bitter  cries. 

Some  lay  fast  bleeding  on  the  ground, 

All  bathed  in  crimson  gore, 
Crying  to  Jesus,  strong  to  save, 

His  mercy  to  implore. 

Some  lay  with  broken  shoulder  bones, 

And  some  with  broken  arms, 
Others  lay  senseless  on  the  ground 

With  divers  other  harms. 

One  in  an  instant  then  did  pass 
Through  death's  dark  shadowy  way, 

Who  now  is  in  the  realms  of  wo, 
Or  in  eternal  day. 

9 


66 

Two  more  in  a  few  minutes'  space 
Did  bid  this  world  adieu, 

Who  are  forsaken  of  their  God, 
Or  with  his  chosen  few. 


The  rest  is  wanting. 


We  have  endeavored  to  make  the  preceding  notices  of  the  his- 
tory and  condition  of  the  town  as  brief  as  possible.  If  they  should 
seem  to  any  one  too  minute  and  extended,  we  would  say  that  we  have 
thought  that  many  things  of  little  interest  now,  because  familiarly 
known,  might  be  of  much  interest  to  those  who  shall  follow  us.  The 
aged  men  are  passing  away ;  the  traditions  of  the  early  times  are  fast 
fading  into  oblivion  ;  we  shall  soon  be  in  our  graves,  and  the  history  of 
the  first  century  of  Wilton  would,  before  long,  be  a  blank  to  our  chil- 
dren, unless  the  facts  relating  to  it  were  gathered  up  from  individual 
memories  and  scattered  papers,  in  which  alone  they  are  to  be  found, 
and  preserved  in  some  more  permanent  form. 


PROCEEDINGS 


AT   THE 


CENTENNIAL    CELEBRATION, 


m 


/ 


WILTON.   N.   H. 


The  Committee  of  Arrangements,  in  the  performance  of  the  du- 
ties assigned  to  them  by  the  town,  held  several  meetings  in  the  course 
of  the  summer  ;  —  Jonathan  Livermore  in  the  Chair,  and  Timothy 
Parkhurst,  Secretary.  At  these  meetings  the  following  sub-commit' 
tees  and  officers  were  chosen. 

Committee  to  collect  materials  for  the  history  of  Wilton,  and  to 
invite  Rev.  Ephraim  Peabody  to  deliver  the  Address ;  —  Jonathan 
Livermore,  Timothy  Parkhurst,  Abel  Fiske,  and  Abiel  Abbot. 

Committee  to  erect  the  Pavilion ;  —  Josiah  Parker,  Caleb  Putnam, 
and  Joseph  Gray,  Jr. 

Committee  to  provide  the  Dinner ;  —  Joseph  Newell,  Abram  Whit- 
temore,  and  Elijah  Stockwell. 

Committee  to  prepare  the  Toasts ;  Timothy  Abbot,  Eliphalet  Put- 
nam, Zebediah  Abbot,  Abiel  Abbot,  Harvey  Spalding,  and  Daniel 
Batchelder. 

Committee  to  procure  the  Singing ;  —  Timothy  Parkhurst,  Zebe- 
diah Abbot,  L.  B.  Rockwood,  Timothy  Abbot,  Samuel .  Spalding, 
James  Hutchinson,  3d,  and  Joseph  Wilson. 


68 


OFFICERS    FOR    THE    DAY. 

President, 
Ezra  Abbot. 

Vice  Presidents, 

Abram  Whittemore,  Timothy  Parkhurst, 

Jonathan  Livermore,  Timothy  Abbot, 

Jonathan  Burton,  Daniel.  Batchelder, 

Oliver  Whiting. 

Chief  Marshal, 

Jonathan  Parkhurst. 

Assistant  Marshals, 
Samuel  Kino,  Calvin  Gray, 

David  Wilson,  Oliver  Barrett, 

Hermon  Pettengill,  Moses  Spalding 

Toast  Masters, 
Ellphalet  Putnam,  Zebediah  Abbot. 


The  morning  of  the  Celebration  dawned  auspiciously,  and  was  ush- 
ered in  with  the  ringing  of  the  bell  and  a  salute  of  one  hundred  guns. 
The  sun  rose  upon  a  cloudless  sky.  The  day  was  calm  and  clear 
and  mild.  Everything  conspired  to  render  it  one  of  the  finest  mornings 
of  early  autumn  ;  and  many  were  they  who  rose  betimes  and  hailed 
it  with  joyous  anticipations.  Emigrants  to  other  towns  and  to  the  dis- 
tant cities  and  villages  of  other  states,  had  come  back  to  revisit  once 
more  the  scenes  of  their  youth,  and  to  celebrate  with  friends  and 
former  associates  this  grand  jubilee  of  their  native  town.  And 
now  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Wilton,  resident  and  emigrant,  togeth- 
er with  numerous  guests  from  abroad,  —  leaving  behind  them  for  a 
while  the  cares  of  professional  life,  the  din  of  machinery,  the  business 
of  the  farm,  the  workshop,  or  the  counting-room,  —  might  be  seen 
thronging  the  roads  that  ascend  from  all  quarters  to  the  Common.  As 
they  approached,  the  first  thing  to  catch  all  eyes  was  a  fancy  flag,  in  its 
semi-circular  wreath  of  evergreen,  hovering  in  the  air  midway  be- 
tween the  two  churches  on  the  hill,  and  appearing  to  have  no  support 
till,  on  arriving  near  it,  the  cord  which  upheld  it  was  seen  stretched 
from  belfry  to  belfry,  and  on  the  flag  itself  appeared  the  inscription, 


69 


'  1739'  and  '  18:39,'  with  other  devices  between  them.  The  national 
banner  had  been  raised  high  in  the  air,  and  its  stripes  and  stars, 
borne  on  the  now  rising  breeze,  were  floating  gaily  over  rthe  spa- 
cious pavilion,  erected  on  the  border  of  a  pleasant  field,  a  few 
rods  east  of  the  old  meeting-house.  Around  the  meeting-house  stood 
handsome  spruce  trees,  the  growth  of  the  night ;  while  within,  it  was 
beautifully  ornamented  with  verdant  boughs  and  wreaths,  and  a 
large  chandelier  of  evergreen.  The  Common  was  at  an  early  hour 
alive  with  people,  moving  to  and  fro,  or  collecting  in  groups ;  and  the 
fine  appearance  of  the  Miller  Guards, —  a  company  of  volunteers,  or- 
ganized in  the  town  a  short  time  previous,  under  the  command  of 
Col.  Samuel  King, —  with  the  cheering  music  of  the  Band  attending 
them,  gave  increased  animation  to  the  scene.  And  throughout  the 
multitudes  there  assembled,  the  cordial  greetings  of  old  acquaint- 
ances, the  hearty  shaking  of  hands,  the  glad  voices  and  speaking 
countenances,  all  testified  to  the  overflowing  pleasure  and  goodTeel- 
ing  which  reigned  on  the  occasion. 


About  ten  o'clock  a  procession  was  formed  at  the  Brick  Hall,  under 
the  direction  of  Col.  Jonathan  Parkhurst,  the  Chief  Marshal,  and 
was  escorted  by  the  Miller  Guards  to  the  Old  Meeting-house,  which, 
though  large,  was  soon  filled  to  overflowing.  The  performances 
there  were  as  follows  : 

Voluntary, —  by  the  Band. 

Invocation, —  by  Rev.  Abiel  Abbot,  D.  D.,  of  Peterborough. 

Anthem,  "Great  is  the  Lord,"  &,c, —  sung  by  the  Choir. 

Selections  from  the  Scriptures, —  by  Rev.  Warren  Burton. 

The  Nativity, —  sung  by  the  Choir. 

Prayer, —  by  Rev.  Abiel  A.  Livermore,  of  Keene. 

Marseilles  Hymn, —  sung  by  the  Choir. 

Address, —  by  Rev.  Ephraim  Peabody,  of  New  Bedford. 

An  Original  Hymn,  sung  by  the  Choir  and  the  assembly. 

Prayer, —  by  Rev.  Samuel  Barrett,  of  Boston. 

Grand  Hallelujah  Chorus, —  sung  by  the  Choir. 

Benediction, —  by  Rev.  Nathaniel  Whitman,  of  Wilton. 

The  Music  was  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Charles  Abbot. 


70 
ORIGINAL    HYMNS, 

[Written  for  the  Occaiion.] 
BT     MB.      LUBIM     B.      BOCKWOOO. 

Father  in  Heaven,  thy  grace  impart ; 
Let  gratitude  inspire  each  heart ; 
To  thee  our  joyful  songs  we  Ml  raise, 
Thy  goodness  claims  our  highest  praise. 

We  hail  this  consecrated  day ; 
Accept  the  tribute  here  we  pay  ; 
Let  this  Centennial  Jubilee 
Wake  in  our  hearts  new  praise  to  thee. 

Let  peace  attend,  a  welcome  guest, 
May  filial  love  inspire  each  breast ; 
Join,  every  voice,  the  song,  the  vow, 
We  're  brethren  all,  our  Father  Thou. 

Blest  morn  of  Liberty,  whose  light 
Effulgent  broke  the  shades  of  night, 
To  dry  the  weary  pilgrim's  tear, 
And  bid  him  seek  a  dwelling  here. 

Sleep,  "  Pilgrim  Fathers,"  and  be  blest ; 
We  '11  ne'er  disturb  your  peaceful  rest ; 
Long  shall  the  grateful  prayer  ascend, 
While  o'er  your  sleeping  dust  we  bend. 

Inspired  with  hope,  we  '11  walk  the  road 
Of  virtue,  which  our  fathers  trod  ; 
Their  praise  shall  every  voice  prolong, 
And  loudest  anthems  swell  the  song. 


BY     MISS     SABAH     W.      LIVEBMOBE. 

Almighty  God !  we  own  thy  power, 
Which  on  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  smiled ; 

The  forests  fled,  and  bloomed  the  flower 
Where  all  was  sterile,  drear,  and  wild. 


71 


These  fertile  hills  our  fathers  found, 
Their  dwellings  rose  beneath  thy  care, 

They  early  sought  for  hallowed  ground, 
And  on  it  built  a  house  of  prayer. 

One  hundred  years  thy  guiding  hand 
O'er  us  has  held  unerring  sway, 

Dependant  beings,  still  we  stand, 
O,  guide  us  on  from  day  to  day. 

Our  labors  bless,  our  garners  fill, 
Our  hearts  enlighten  by  thy  grace  ; 

Our  study  be,  to  do  thy  will, 

While  in  this  transient  dwelling-place 

And  as  each  passing  year  shall  sweep 
To  their  last  rest,  some  friends  we  love, 

As  joy  shall  smile,  and  wo  shall  weep, 
Prepare  us  for  a  home  above. 


At  the  close  of  the  exercises  in  the  Church,  the  procession,  with 
an  accession  of  ladies,  out-numbering  the  gentlemen,  moved  to  the 
Pavilion,  where  the  divine  blessing  was  invoked  by  Rev.  William 
Richardson,  of  Wilton,  and  about  five  hundred  persons  partook  of  a 
dinner  provided  by  Mr.  Joseph  Newell.  Meanwhile  the  sky  became 
overcast  with  clouds  and  a  few  drops  of  rain  fell,  which  suggested  the 
expediency  of  retiring  to  a  more  comfortable  place.  Accordingly, 
the  company  rose  from  the  table,  and  thanks  having  been  returned  by 
Rev.  A.  D.  Jones,  of  Brighton,  they  marched  back  to  the  Meeting- 
house, where  the  proceedings  were  as  follows: — 

Deacon  Ezra  Abbot,  President  of  the  Day,  introduced  the  pro- 
ceedings with  the  following  remarks  :— 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen, —  It  gives  me  pleasure  to  congratulate  you 
on  the  favorable  circumstances  in  which  we  are  come  together  to  cele- 
brate this  grand  jubilee  of  our  native  town.  The  hundredth  anniversary 
of  the  first  settlement  of  Wilton,  furnishes  an  occasion  for  mingling  our 
common  sympathies,  and  for  indulging  in  joyful  and  grateful  recol- 
lections. The  early  history  of  the  town  must  be  full  of  interest  to  us 
all.     Here  our  fathers  endured  hardships  and  privations,  and  we,  their 


descendants,  are  now  enjoying  in  peace  the  rich  fruits  of  their  labors. 
Favored  by  the  smiles  of  Providence,  they  laid  the  foundation  of 
those  institutions  under  which  the  town  has  grown  up  to  its  present 
state  of  prosperity.  I  cannot  but  express  the  high  gratification  I  feel 
in  beholding  all  around  me  animated  by  feelings  so  much  in  harmony 
with  the  spirit  of  the  occasion.  And  I  trust  that  the  memory  of  this 
day  will  long  be  cherished,  and  be  ever  attended  with  pleasing  and 
profitable  recollections. 

At  the  request  of  the  President,  Mr.  Eliphalet  Putnam  proceeded 
to  announce  the  Toasts  prepared  for  the  occasion. 

1st  Toast.  This  Centennial  gathering  of  the  Wilton  Family,  —  An  occasion 
consecrated  to  grateful  recollections,  to  cheering  anticipations,  and  to  social,  frater- 
nal, and  christian  greetings. 

[Glee, —  "  Hail .'  Smiling  Morn"  —  Sung  by  Mr.  Charles  Abbot  and  others.] 

2d.  Toast.  The  Metropolis  of  New- England, —  Knowing  how  to  appreciate 
wisdom  in  council,  she  calls  to  her  high  places  the  wise  and  gifted  of  the  land. 

Deacon  Samuel  Greele,  of  Boston,  rose  and  said, — 

Mr.  President, — I  perceive  by  the  significant  nod  of  your  head, 
that  the  sentiment  just  uttered  has  reference  to  myself.  I  further- 
more understand  that  this  nod  has  an  official  bearing,  directing  me  to 
address  this  assembly  of  friends  and  fellow-townsmen.  As  1  have 
always  been  in  the  habit  of  complying  with  that  apostolic  injunction, 
which  requires  us  to  *  submit  to  the  powers  that  be,"  I  will  not  refuse 
obedience  to  the  legitimate  authorities  of  this  day,  although  I  had 
much  rather  be  a  hearer  than  a  speaker  on  the  present  occasion. 

We  have  been  told  by  the  orator  of  the  day,  that  the  first  grist-mill, 
erected  in  this  town,  was  built  by  a  remote  ancestor  of  mine;  and 
that  the  ancient  inhabitants  conveyed  their  wheat  and  their  corn  to 
this  mill,  to  be  converted  into  flour  and  meal.  I  wish  it  were  in  the 
power  of  his  humble  descendant,  in  return  for  the  flattering  compli- 
ment paid  him  this  day,  to  bring  to  this  "  feast  of  reason  and  flow  of 
soul,"  as  well  ground,  and  as  well  bolted  flour,  as  the  good  old  Dea- 
con Samuel  Greele,  of  a  former  generation,  gave  to  his  customers  of 
a  by-gone  century,  the  primitive  Wiltonians  of  hi3  day. 

Mr.  President,  —  this  day,  connected  as  it  is,  with  many  delightful 
reminiscences  and  associations,  brings  to  my  mind  some  tender,  aot 
to  say  sad  recollections.     Forty-one  years  ago,  this  day,   a  beloved 


13 


parent  was  summoned  to  another,  and  I  trust,  to  a  better  world.  The 
manner  of  his  death,*  equally  sudden  to  himself,  and  unexpected  by 
his  family,  is  well  known  to  the  elder  part  of  those  now  present. 
The  delicate  and  kind  ministrations  of  friends  and  neighbors,  then 
made  an  impression  on  my  youthful  heart,  which  the  finger  of  time 
can  never  efface.  While  most  of  those,  who  attended  the  funeral 
obsequies  of  my  honored  father,  have,  in  their  turn,  been  removed  to 
the  world  of  spirits,  and  relatives  and  friends  have  wept  over  their 
graves,  it  is  my  privilege  and  my  happiness  to  behold  among  you, 
some,  who  at  that  time  mingled  their  sympathies  and  their  tears  with 
those  of  the  afflicted  family.  To  them  I  would  observe,  that  the  af- 
fectionate interest,  then  expressed  for  me  and  mine,  forms  one  of 
the  links  in  that  adamantine  chain,  which  binds  me  to  my  native 
town. 

I  trust  that  these  remarks,  though  somewhat  egotistical  and  sombre 
in  appearance,  are  not  incompatible  with  the  festivities  of  the  occa- 
sion ;  for,  if  I  have  not  greatly  mistaken  the  purpose  of  this  celebra- 
tion, we  have  met  to  weave  fresh  garlands  for  the  graves  of  the  dead, 
as  well  as  to  express  our  fraternal  regards  for  the  living. 

Many  of  the  honored  and  lamented  dead  now  come  to  my  mind 
like  warm,  living  realities.  The  two  first  pastors  of  this  town,  the 
strong  minded  and  sincere  Livermore  ;  the  meek,  modest  and  affec- 
tionate Fiske ;  the  generous,  hospitable  and  exemplary  Rockwood, 
one  of  the  earliest  physicians  of  this  place,  whose  house  was  ever  the 
resort  of  the  enlightened  and  the  good ;  these,  and  other  venerable 
and  venerated  men,  together  with  the  virtuous  and  pious  women  of 
other  times,  now  appear  to  my  imagination,  clothed  anew  in  their 
earthly  habiliments.  The  lessons  which  I  received  from  their  lips, 
are  deeply  engraven  on  the  tablet  of  my  memory. 

My  heart  now  prompts  me  to  pay  a  passing  tribute  of  love  and 
respect,  to  the  memory  of  one,  more  recently  removed  from  you,  but 
whose  virtues  are  enshrined  in  all  our  bosoms.  I  refer  to  the  beloved, 
the  honored,  the  lamented  Abbot. t  His  attachment  to  his  native 
place,  led  him  with  others  to  propose  and  plan  the  Celebration  in 
which  we  are  now  engaged.  Many  of  the  institutions  of  the  religious 
society,  in  which  he  worshipped,  and  of  the  town  in  which  he  was 
born  and  in  which  he  lived,  are  monuments  of  his  warm-hearted  at- 

*  He  was  instantly  killed  by  the  falling  of  a  tree,  when  on  his  way  to  attend 
a  town-meeting,  in  the  year  1798. 
t  Samuel  Abbot,  Esq.  who  died  Jan.  1339. 

10 


74 


tachmcnt,  as  well  as  memorials  of  his  enlightened  zeal  in  the  great 
cause  of  human  improvement,  and  of  Christian  virtue.  It  was  my 
privilege  to  be  one  of  his  instructers,  when  in  early  life,  a  member  of 
Philips's  Academy  in  Andover.  I  well  recollect  his  untiring  industry, 
his  amiable  and  correct  deportment,  his  unwavering  allegiance  to  the 
dictates  of  duty  and  of  conscience,  which  pointed  him  out  as  a  pat- 
tern to  the  other  members  of  that  venerable  seminary  of  learning. 
To  adopt  the  expressive  language  of  scripture,  "  he  seems  to  have 
been  sanctified  even  from  his  birth."  It  is  fully  known  to  you  all, 
how  well  the  fruits  of  his  mature  life  corresponded  with  the  buds  and 
the  blossoms  of  his  early  years.  If  the  spirits  of  the  u  just  in  Heaven  " 
take  cognizance  of  human  affairs,  we  trust,  that  his  benignant  spirit  is 
now  looking  down  on  the  festivities  and  solemnities  of  this  day,  with 
joyful  approbation. 

I  have  spoken  of  one  of  the  reasons  of  my  attachment  to  the  town 
of  Wilton.  Another  reason  I  doubtless  share  in  common  with  my 
friends,  who,  like  myself,  have  been  led  to  seek  their  fortunes  in  other 
towns  and  cities.  It  was  here,  that  we  received  our  primary  educa- 
tion. And  let  me  ask,  sir,  what  is  so  well  adapted  to  develope  the 
whole  complex  being  of  man,  to  give  a  healthy  tone  to  the  body  and 
the  mind,  as  attendance  on  the  district  school,  with  occasional  labor  in 
the  field  and  on  the  farm.  It  is  here,  that  the  storehouse  of  the  imag- 
ination becomes  enriched  with  its  most  gorgeous  imagery,  and  the 
boy  is  trained  to  those  habits  of  industry,  to  that  self-dependence  and 
self-control  so  serviceable  to  the  man  in  after  life.  Do  you  think,  Mr. 
President,  that  the  genius  of  the  reverend  gentleman,  who  has  de- 
lighted us  this  day,  by  his  eloquence  and  learning,  could  have  taken 
such  lofty  and  excursive  flights,  if  it  had  been  hemmed  in,  during 
early  life,  by  the  brick  walls  of  a  dusty  city  1  I  venture  to  assert, 
that  he  drank  in  the  inspiration,  which  has  welled  up  at  this  time  in 
his  own  bosom,  and  which  has  made  our  hearts  thrill  with  gladness 
and  joy,  from  the  pure  fountains,  which  gush  from  your  sunny  hills, 
and  which  meander  in  purling  streams  through  your  deep  valleys,  and 
your  green  meadows.  Do  you  think  that  another  reverend  gentle- 
man, now  in  my  eye,  could  have  so  well  gratified  and  instructed  his 
numerous  readers,  by  pointing  out,  in  a  manner  so  peculiarly  his  own, 
the  advantages  and  the  defects  of  the  district  school,  if  he  had  not 
himself  been  an  actor  in  some  of  those  juvenile  dramas,  which  he  so 
beautifully  describes? 

Do  you  think,  that  the  talented  lady,  who  has  given  proof  of  the 


75 


versatility  of  her  genius,  in  the  composition  of  the  solemn  hymn,  just 
sung  with  so  much  effect  in  your  church,  and  of  the  merry  song, 
which  (to  speak  in  parliamentary  language)  now  lies  on  your  honor's 
table  for  future  use,  could  have  so  charmed  us  by  the  sweet  warblings 
of  her  gentle  muse,  if  she  had  been  fluttering  and  flaunting  in  early 
life,  in  the  rustling  silks  of  the  city,  and  promenading  its  Broadways 
and  its  By-ways,  instead  of  amusing  her  leisure  hours,  in  culling  the 
wild  flowers  of  the  fields,  and  in  listening  to  the  music  of  the  feath- 
ered songsters  of  the  groves  ? 

A  knowledge  of  the  elements  of  agriculture,  which  formed  an  im- 
portant part  of  our  early  education,  may  be  the  means  of  future  sup- 
port, as  well  as  an  agreeable  and  healthy  recreation  to  some  of  us, 
who  are  now  otherwise  occupied.  What  a  resource  must  it  be  to 
the  scholar,  the  merchant,  the  physician,  the  lawyer,  and  the  clergy- 
man, who  have  been  reared  on  the  farm,  —  what  a  resource,  I  repeat, 
must  it  be  to  them  to  feel,  amid  the  fluctuations  of  the  times,  the  ca- 
prices of  popular  favor,  and  the  discouragements  of  professional  life, 
that,  should  fortune  frown  on  their  efforts  for  the  support  of  themselves 
and  their  families,  they  can  return  to  their  native  soil,  and  draw  nour- 
ishment from  that  bountiful  mother  earth,  which  gave  them  birth. 
Should  this  be  the  fortune  of  any  of  us,  I  now  bespeak  from  my  kind 
friends,  in  his  behalf,  an  interchange  of  agricultural  labors,  and  other 
friendly  offices ;  and  I  venture  to  promise,  on  his  part,  earnest  co-op- 
eration, in  building  up  the  literary  and  religious  institutions  of  the 
town. 

I  respect  the  hard  hand  and  the  sinewy  arm  of  honest  labor,  as 
much,  sir,  as  I  despise  the  hand  of  indolence,  though  it  may  be  as 
white  as  the  lily  of  the  field,  and  as  soft  as  the  head  with  which  it  is 
connected.  This  labor,  when  prompted  by  the  pure  and  pervading 
motive  of  supporting  a  loving  wife,  educating  affectionate  children, 
and  contributing  to  the  social  and  religious  institutions  of  the  times, 
rises  to  the  high  dignity  of  a  moral  and  Christian  virtue. 

It  may  likewise  be  said,  without  disparagement  to  other  employ- 
ments, that  the  labor  of  the  husbandman  is  the  basis  of  a  nation's 
wealth  ;  for  without  it,  the  merchants  and  the  banks  would  all  fail, 
and  the  literary  and  professional  men  would  all  starve. 

I  love  the  country  and  its  various  pursuits.  How  often  have  I 
longed,  when  visiting  the  ancestral  mansion,  where  I  first  drew  my 
breath,  to  return  to  the  paternal  acres,  to  partake  of  the  rural  repast, 
under  the  branches  of  the  wide  spreading  elm ;  to  drink  water,  fresh 


76 


and  cool,  from  the  •*  old  oaken  bucket ;"  and  to  join  in  the  merry  song 
of  "  harvest  home  ! " 

A  generation  has  passed,  since  I  bade  farewell  to  my  residence  in 
this  town.  I  now  behold  those  of  my  companions,  who  like  myself, 
were  then  playful,  beardless  boys,  now,  with  the  staid  and  grave  de- 
meanor of  manhood,  filling  the  seats  and  occupying  the  stations  of 
their  fathers.  The  fathers,  where  are  they?  Alas!  they  have  gone 
to  their  final  account,  and  to  their  lasting  home.  But,  thanks  to 
Heaven !  they  have  left  us  the  imperishable  inheritance  of  their  vir- 
tues. May  we  bequeath  to  our  children,  and  they  in  turn  to  theirs, 
as  goodly  a  name,  and  as  fair  a  fame,  as  our  ancestors  have  be- 
queathed to  us ;  so  that  our  posterity,  who  may  join  in  the  second 
Centennial  Celebration  of  this  town,  may  have  as  good  reason  to  hal- 
low our  memories,  as  we  have  had  to  hallow  the  memories  of  those, 
who  have  gone  before  us. 

Permit  me,  Mr.  President,  once  more  to  express  my  heartfelt  at- 
tachment to  the  good  old  town  of  Wilton.  I  call  her  old,  for  it  must 
be  allowed,  that,  as  she  has  attained  her  hundredth  year,  she  is  now 
well  out  of  her  teens,  and  well  out  of  her  minority.  May  she  ever 
possess,  as  now,  that  regard  for  order,  that  love  of  learning  and  re- 
ligion, and  all  those  other  virtues,  which  so  well  become  her  age,  her 
character,  and  her  station.  She  will  thus  be  an  example,  worthy  of 
imitation  to  her  younger  sisters  of  the  Granite  State,  and  throughout 
the  land. 

In  conclusion,  sir,  I  offer  you  a  brief  sentiment,  which,  I  trust, 
will  find  a  response  in  the  heart  of  every  one  who  hears  me. 

Our  recollections  of  the  beloved,  the  honored,  the  lamented  Abbot. — The  memo- 
ry of  the  just  and  good  will  never  perish. 


3d  Toast.  The  White  Pine  Trees,  which  his  Majesty,  in  the  town  charter, 
reserved  "  for  the  use  of  his  royal  navy" — The  people  of  Wilton  know  how  to 
make  a  better  use  of  them,  by  applying  them  —  not  for  the  destruction  of  life  — 
but  to  promote  its  comforts. 

Original  Song,  by  Miss  Sarah  W.  Livermore,  sung  to  the  tune 
of  Yankee  Doodle,  by  S.  K.  Livermore,  Esq.,  of  Milford. 
This  town  was  all  a  forest  deep, 

One  hundred  years  ago,  sir  ; 
The  vales  were  low,  the  hills  were  steep, 
And  rivers  wander'd  thro',  sir. 


77 


A  few  brave  men,  a  pilgrim  band, 

Sought  this  far-off  location, — 
They  saw  it  was  a  goodly  land, 
And  here  they  fix'd  their  station. 

Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  here's  the  place, 
Yankee  Doodle  dandy, 
We  like  the  right  old-fashion'd  ways, 
They  are  so  good  and  handy. 

From  time  to  lime  the  settlers  came, 

And  many  a  spot  was  built  on; 
At  length  the  town  must  have  a  name, 

And  so  they  call'd  it  Wilton. 
Now  wake  the  harp,  and  tune  the  lyre, 

To  sing  of  ancient  days,  sir ; 
This  rural  theme  the  song  inspire 

To  sound  old  Wilton's  praise,  sir. 

Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  &c. 

Those  good  old  days  our  fathers  saw, 

Has  fashion  strangely  alter'd  ; 
From  customs  good,  which  then  were  law, 

How  many  widely  falter'd ; 
The  aged  now  remember  when, 
All  country  folks  must  labor, 
And  all  who  lived  around  were  then, 
To  all,  a  friend  and  neighbor. 

Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  this  was  right, 
Yankee  Doodle  dandy, 
It  help'd  to  make  the  labor  light, 
When  neighbors  were  so  handy. 

In  homespun  were  the  people  drest, 

Of  woollen,  tow,  or  linen  ; 
Their  Sunday  suits,  which  were  the  best, 

Were  neatly  made  by  women. 
And  women  then  could  wash  and  bake, 

And  also  were  good  spinners; 
The  maids  could  ply  the  hoe  and  rake, 

While  matrons  cook'd  the  dinners. 

Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  &c. 


78 


No  draught  from  China's  sultry  land, 

At  morning  meals  was  seen,  sir ; 
The  black  cow*  gave  a  beverage  bland, 

Few  drank  tea,  black  or  green,  sir ; 
And  coffee  was  not  tasted  then, 

To  make  their  cares  seem  lighter, 
Altho',  'tis  true,  that  most  good  men 

Thought  rum  would  make  them  brighter. 
Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  here  we  meet, 
Yankee  Doodle  dandy, 
With  goodly  cheer  our  friends  to  greet, 
But  not  with  rum  and  brandy. 

Our  fathers  raised  a  house  of  prayer, 

When  few  there  were  to  build  it, 
And  every  Sabbath,  foul  or  fair, 

The  people  nobly  fill'd  it ; 
To  meeting  went,  both  young  and  old, 

'T  was  then  but  little  trouble, 
For  none  would  keep  a  horse,  we  're  told, 

That  could  not  carry  double. 
Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  &c. 

So  all  on  horseback  then  did  ride, 

Unless  they  went  by  sledding,t 
And  e'en  the  bridegroom  and  the  bride 

Rode  double  to  the  wedding.J 
And  though  the  girls,  we  're  told  't  is  true, 

Could  not  then  dance  cotillons, 
We  know  that  all  the  country  through, 
They  used  to  ride  on  pillions. 
Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  all  could  dance, 
Yankee  Doodle  dandy, 
No  master  then  was  brought  from  France, 
To  make  them  skip  more  handy. 

*  Black  Cow. — The  milk  of  the  hlack  cow  was  a  quaint  name  for  bean-porridge. 

t  Sledding. — Sleighs  were  not  in  use ;  people  rode  to  meeting  in  winter  on 
sleds. 

t  Wedding. — It  was  the  custom  for  the  bride  to  ride  to  the  minister's  behind  the 
bridegroom  to  have  the  ceremony  performed. 


79 


And  now  the  times,  we  say,  improve, 

And  learning  is  more  plenty ; 
At  railroad  pace  the  people  move, 

And  when  they're  five  and  twenty, 
They've  gone  the  rounds  of  learned  lore  — 

Are  fit  for  any  station  — 
Then  quickly  pass,  are  seen  no  more, 

And  thus  goes  on  the  nation. 

Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  &c. 

This  season  be  a  land-mark  strong, 

To  guide  us  on  our  way,  sir, 
And  as  we  pass  through  life  along, 

Let  us  not  go  astray,  sir ; 
To  good  old  days  we'll  bid  adieu, 

And  so  we  '11  travel  on,  sir ; 
We'll  wish  for  all,  good  hearts  and  true, 
And  will  wind  up  our  song,  sir. 

Chorus — Yankee  Doodle,  let  us  sing, 
Yankee  Doodle  dandy ; 
Old  time  is  ever  on  the  wing, 
Improve  it  while  it 's  handy. 


4th  Toast.     The  State  of  Maine. — The  fostering  mother  of  many  sons  of  Wil- 
ton,— prosperity  attend  them  in  their  adopted  home. 

Williaivt  Abbot,  Esq.  of  Bangor,  Me.  responded;  — 
I  thank  you,  Mr.  President,  for  the  kind  manner  in  which  you  have 
welcomed  those  natives  of  Wilton,  who  have  come  from  the  State  of 
Maine,  to  unite  in  the  greetings  and  pleasures  of  this  interesting 
occasion.  The  welcome  is  received  by  me,  and,  I  doubt  not,  by  all 
who  are  embraced  in  it,  in  the  same  spirit  with  which  it  is  given  ; 
and  it  adds  another  link  to  the  chain  which  binds  us  to  our  beloved 
and  native  home.  After  long  absence  it  is  pleasant  to  revisit  the 
scenes  of  our  youth ;  and  that  pleasure  is  greatly  enhanced  by  the 
cordial  reception  of  our  friends,  from  whom  we  have  been  so  long 
separated.  The  delight  we  feel  in  renewing  our  acquaintance  with 
these  scenes,  can  scarcely  be  realized  by  those  who  have  always  re- 
mained on  their  native  soil,  and  to  whom  these  scenes  have  become 
familiar.     The  lofty  mountains  which  surround  this  town,  and  the 


80 


streams  which  run  through  its  valleys  made,  indeed,  a  strong  im- 
pression on  my  youthful  mind  ;  but  it  was  not  until  after  long  absence, 
that  I  fully  felt  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  its  scenery.  Now  I  per- 
ceive something  peculiarly  interesting  in  the  views  presented  from 
the  hills,  whence  we  see  cultivated  farms,  as  they  rise  gradually  from 
the  rivers  flowing  through  the  valleys,  until  they  reach  the  tops  of 
the  mountains,  in  the  surrounding  towns.  The  grand  outlines  re- 
main faithful  to  my  memory ;  while  the  hand  of  labor  and  taste  have 
filled  up  the  picture  with  well-cultivated  farms  and  convenient  dwell- 
ing houses ;  so  that  natur3  and  art  have  combined  to  make  Wilton 
one  of  the  most  picturesque  and  beautiful  towns  in  the  State. 

Agriculture  is,  and  will  probably  forever  continue  to  be,  the  prin- 
cipal employment  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  town.  No  wise  man 
can  desire  to  have  it  otherwise.  There  is  no  business  better  calcu- 
lated to  develope  the  physical,  the  moral  and  intellectual  man  than 
agriculture;  n>r  is  there. any  which  affords  more  pure  and  rational 
satisfaction  to  the  mind.  There. has,  indeed,  existed,  and  perhaps 
there  still  exists,  a  foolish  prejudice  against  those  employments  which 
are  carried  on  by  manual  labor,  and  particularly  agriculture.  This 
has  arisen  from  the  idea  which  has  prevailed,  that  education  was  not 
necessary  for  a  farmer.  But  this  erroneous  notion  is  wearing  away, 
and  with  it  the  prejudice  against  the  business  of  a  farmer.  As  the 
community  becomes  more  enlightened,  man  is  regarded  according  to 
the  qualities  of  his  heart  and  his  intellectual  cultivation,  and  not  his 
profession  or  employment.  Let  the  farmer  be  thoroughly  educated, 
and  let  him  be  properly  instructed  in  the  art  of  agriculture,  and  pur- 
sue his  business  with  intelligence  and  industry,  and  the  labor  of  the 
husbandman  will  be  no  longer  despised. 

If  any  one  profession  or  business  is  more  respectable  than  another, 
agriculture  may  lay  claim  to  it.  The  first  employment  of  man  was 
the  cultivation  of  the  ground  ;  and  this  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
God,  who  created  him  in  his  own  image.  Agriculture,  therefore,  can 
never  be  justly  considered  as  less  respectable  in  itself  than  any  other 
calling.  Adam  was  employed  in  tilling  the  ground,  and  Eve  was 
made  a  help-meet  for  him.  Let  not  the  fair  daughters  of  Eve  despise 
their  employments  ;  but  let  them  consider  it  high  praise  to  be  qualified 
to  perform  their  duty,  in  whatever  situation  they  may  happen  to  be 
placed. 

A  century  has  elapsed  since  the  first  settlement  of  this  town. 
What  has  been  done  by  our  fathers  and  by  ourselves  during  this 


81 

period,  now  closed,  is  the  property  of  the  historian.  No  act,  which 
has  been  performed  can  now  be  altered,  but  must  remain,  for  good 
or  for  evil,  forever.  But  the  future  is  within  our  control.  May  we 
pursue  the  good  and  the  true,  in  such  manner,  that  when  at  the  end 
of  the  present  century,  those  who  come  after  us  shall  unite  in  a 
celebration  similar  to  the  present,  they  may  be  justified  in  bestowing 
upon  us,  as  high  praise,  as  that  which  we  now  award  to  our  an- 
cestors. 

Mr.  President,  I  beg  leave  to  offer,  as  an  expression  of  my  own 
wishes,  the  following  sentiment. 

The  Second  Century  of  Wilton. — May  it  be  filled  with  wise  designs  and 
virtuous  deeds. 

5th  Toast.  The  First  Settlers  of  Wilton.  —  Honor  and  respect  to  the  memory 
of  those  who  wandered  in  doubt  where  we  walk  in  safety. 

Rev.  Abiel  Abbot,  D.  D.,  offered  the  following  remarks  :  — 

Mr.  President,  —  I  thank  God  that  my  life  has  been  spared,  and  my 
health  is  such  as  enables  me  to  meet  my  friends  here  on  this  centennial 
jubilee.  Hook  around  and  ask,Where  are  the  fathers?  but  nothing  is 
seen  but  their  precious  remembrance  in  their  sons.  They  were  men 
whom  I  well  remember,  whom  I  have  always  held  in  high  esteem  and 
veneration.  Their  devout  and  venerable  appearance  in  this  holy  tem- 
ple, where  they  religiously  and  constantly  worshipped,  is  now  fresh  in 
my  memory.  The  impressions  on  my  young  mind  of  their  piety  and 
uprightness,  and  of  their  friendly  and  heavenly  deportment  here,  at 
home  and  everywhere,  were  a  rich  blessing  to  me,  and  rendered  the 
memory  of  those  venerable  patriarchs  most  precious  and  lasting.  I 
see  here  my  sisters  and  their  daughters,  whom  I  hail  and  recognise  as 
bearing  the  resemblance  of  our  venerated  mothers,  of  whom  I  ever 
think  with  the  warmest  affection  and  most  respectful  regard.  They 
were  worthy  companions  and  helps  meet  for  our  fathers.  They  were 
partners  in  all  their  toils,  hardships  and  privations.  They  were  pa- 
tient, contented,  and  cheerful  ;  and  by  their  efforts  alleviated  the  bur- 
dens of  their  husbands,  and  by  their  smiles  encouraged  them  in  their 
labors  and  trials.  Their  countenance  and  kind  expressions  are  still 
fresh  in  my  mind,  though  years  have  elapsed,  since  they  and  their 
beloved  companions  went  to  their  better  home.  They  came  to 
houses  not  finished,  not  painted,  not  ceiled,  as  we  see  them  now ; 
they  had  no  parlor,  no  carpet,  no  curtains,  no  sofa ;  for  some  of  these 
11 


82 


every-day  conveniences,  they  had  no  word  in  their  vocabulary.  But 
they  were  happy,  —  happiness  is  the  property  of  mind.  They  took 
good  care  of  the  household.  They  wrought  flax  and  wool ;  the  card, 
the  spinning  wheel,  and  the  loom,  were  the  furniture  of  the  house. 
All  were  clothed  with  domestic  products ;  articles  were  also  made 
for  the  market.  They  were  healthy  and  strong;  they  and  their 
daughters  were  not  enfeebled  by  luxuries  and  delicacies,  nor  with 
working  muslins  or  embroidery ;  tea  and  cake  were  rarely  used  ; 
coffee  was  unknown.  Their  dress  was  plain,  and  adapted  to  the  sea- 
son and  their  business;  one  dress  answered  for  the  day  and  the 
week.  Their  living  and  dress  produced  no  consumptions,  as  now. 
Our  fathers  and  mothers  were  benevolent,  hospitable  and  kind ;  the 
stranger  was  received,  as  in  the  most  ancient  time,  with  a  hearty 
welcome.  In  their  own  neighborhood  and  town,  they  were  all 
brothers  and  sisters.  There  was  an  admirable  equality,  a  home-feel- 
ing and  heart-feeling  among  all.  Their  visits  were  not  formal,  cere- 
monious and  heartless,  but  frank,  cheerful  and  cordial.  Their  sym- 
pathy for  the  sick,  unfortunate  and  distressed,  was  expressed  by  their 
ready  assistance  and  kindly  affectioned  help.  When  prosperous,  all 
partook  in  the  common  joy ;  when  sickness  or  calamity  befell  any, 
all  were  affected,  the  sorrow  was  mutual,  and  aid  and  relief,  as  far  as 
possible,  were  afforded.  They  were,  indeed,  one  family,  —  all  mem- 
bers of  one  sympathizing  body. 

But  what  calls  forth  our  warmest  gratitude  and  most  affectionate 
esteem,  and  is  the  crowning  feature  of  their  character  and,  in  fact, 
comprehends  their  other  virtues,  is,  they  were  godly  women ;  they  were 
religious  women  ;  they  carefully  observed  religious  institutions.  The 
duties  of  the  Sabbath,  of  family  and  public  worship,  and  family 
instruction,  were  conscientiously  and  faithfully  performed.  Bad  roads, 
unpleasant  weather,  want  of  comfortable  conveyance,  were  hindrances 
to  public  worship  easily  overcome.  If  the  snow  had  blocked  up  the 
road,  our  mothers  fastened  on  the  snow-shoe.  The  ox-sled  was  often 
used  in  winter  to  convey  the  family,  especially  our  mothers  and  sis- 
ters, to  the  church.  The  Sabbath  was  devoted  to  the  study  of  the 
Bible  and  other  religious  purposes.  Blessed  is  the  memory  of  our 
mothers  for  their  early  religious  instruction  of  their  children,  and 
others  committed  to  their  care.  After  the  service  of  the  sanctuary, 
the  children  were  called  together ;  they  read  in  the  Primer  or  Testa- 
ment, as  they  were  able  ;  they  were  taught  to  say  their  hymns,  their 
prayers,  and  the  catechism.    Their  prayers  were  repeated  every  night 


83 


on  going  to  bed.  The  mother  began  their  instruction  early  ;  she 
literally  brought  them  up  in  the  discipline  and  instruction  of  the 
Lord.  I  reverence  and  thank  my  mother,  for  teaching  me  the  cate- 
chism. Though  it  is  hard  to  be  understood,  not  fitting  for  babes, 
and  in  some  parts  erroneous,  it  was  the  best  she  knew,  —  and  I 
thank  her  for  teaching  it,  and  my  father  for  encouraging  me  to  learn 
it.  A  deep  reverence  of  God  and  sacred  things  was  imprinted  on 
my  mind ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  of  my  being  a  better  man  and  better 
christian  for  this  instruction. 

And  much,  Mr.  President,  very  much  of  the  prosperity,  peace  and 
high  reputation  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  is  owing  to  the  faith- 
ful instruction  and  exemplary  character  of  our  fathers  and  mothers. 
Your  well-fenced  and  cultivated  fields,  your  neat  and  well-furnished 
dwellings,  your  domestic  enjoyments,  and  the  privileges  of  your  child- 
ren, are,  in  great  measure,  to  be  attributed  to  the  love  of  truth  and 
the  practice  of  honesty,  industry,  integrity  and  piety,  which  were 
early  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the  young.  Our  fathers  and 
mothers  were  careful  to  educate  no  domestic  for  the  penitentiary,  and 
to  their  lasting  honor  be  it  said,  that  no  one  of  their  children  has  been 
imprisoned  and  punished  for  crime. 

But,  sir,  the  time  is  short,  and  I  will  proceed  no  farther,  —  only 
offering  this  sentiment : 

The  Mothers  of  Wilton,  our  Sisters  and  their  Daughters.  —  May  the  next 
generation  be  worthy  descendants  of  the  past. 

[The  Fisherman' 8  Glee  sung.] 


6th  Toast.     The  Clergy  of  Wilton,  —  Ever  active  in  the  cause  of  intellectual, 
moral,  and  religious  improvement.    . 

Rev.  N.  Whitman  responded  : — 

Mr.  President, —  In  rising  to  offer  a  sentiment,  I  beg  leave  to 
preface  it  by  a  word  of  explanation.  This  day,  sir,  is  the  an- 
niversary of  an  event,  which,  forty-one  years  ago,  filled  this  town 
with  sudden  and  deep  mourning.  As  Captain  Samuel  Greele 
was  on  his  way  to  attend  a  town-meeting,  a  decayed  tree  by  the 
road-side,  struck  by  a  powerful  gust  of  wind,  fell,  and  precipitated 
him  from  his  horse  to  the  ground,  a  corpse.  By  this  providence, 
his  family,  and  the  whole  community,  were  called  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  one,  who  was  highly  respected  and  greatly  beloved.     Captain 


84 


Greele  was  a  man  of  a  public  spirit.  He  adorned  a  Christian  profes- 
sion by  a  Christian  practice.  To  the  literary,  moral,  and  religious 
welfare  of  his  family  he  was  ardently  devoted.  His  eldest  son,  Sam- 
uel, had,  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  just  become  a  member  of 
Harvard  College.  Through  the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  the  exertions 
and  sacrifices  of  a  mother  of  great  energy  and  great  worth,  seconded 
by  corresponding  efforts  on  the  part  of  her  children,  both  Samuel  and 
Augustus,  the  younger  son,  were  enabled  to  complete  a  collegiate  ed- 
ucation. On  the  enterprise  of  these  sons  prosperity  has  smiled. 
And  they  have  manifested  a  spirit  and  character  worthy  of  their 
parentage.  It  adds  greatly  to  our  joy,  sir,  on  this  interesting  oc- 
casion, that  these  sons  have  come,  one  from  the  metropolis  of  New- 
England,  the  other  from  the  metropolis  of  the  Empire  State,  to  re- 
ciprocate with  us  fraternal  sympathies  and  congratulations.  By  their 
permission  I  must  crave  to  state  a  fact,  which  reflects  honor  on  their 
character,  but  which  their  feelings  might  incline  them  to  conceal 
from  the  notice,  to  which  it  is  justly  entitled.  On  the  memorable 
spot,  where  Capt.  Greele  fell,  there  now  stands  a  beautiful  marble 
monument.  It  is  a  monument  erected  by  filial  piety  to  parental 
worth.  But,  sir,  this  is  not  a  monument  of  "  any  private  inter- 
pretation." While  it  reflects  deserved  honor  on  the  Greele  family, 
it  also  embodies  the  spirit  of  the  Wilton  family. 

If,  sir,  as  you  have  been  pleased  to  say,  "  the  clergy  of  Wilton  have 
been  ever  active  in  the  cause  of  intellectual,  moral,  and  religious  im- 
provement," it  is  my  joyful  duty  to  say,  that  one  principal  cause  of 
this  has  been,  that  they  have  been  nobly  sustained  and  encouraged  in 
this  course,  by  the  exemplary  devotion  of  the  people  to  these  high 
objects.  On  this  characteristic  trait  of  the  people  of  Wilton  it 
would  give  me  pleasure  to  enlarge.  But  this  office  I  yield  to  my  im- 
mediate predecessor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  who  will  do  the  subject 
appropriate  justice. 

With  these  remarks,  I  offer,  sir,  the  following  sentiment. 

The  Greele  Monument, —  It  eloquently  proclaims  the  glory  of  Wilton, —  the 
devotion  of  the  parents  to  the  best  welfare  of  the  children,  and  the  gratitude  of  the 
children  to  venerated  and  beloved  parents. 

Remarks  of  Rev.  A.  D.  Jones,  of  Brighton,  Mass.,  formerly  the 
pastor  of  the  First  Church  in  Wilton. 

Mr.  President,  —  I  should  be  unworthy  the  honor  of  being  even 
an  adopted  son  of  Wilton,  did  I  refuse  to  respond  to  the  call  just 


85 

made  upon  me  by  the  reverend  gentleman  who  last  addressed  you, 
albeit,  with  a  spirit  quite  too  common  in  our  profession,  he  has  taken 
the  liberty  to  put  the  laboring  oar  into  another's  hand,  rather  than 
ply  it  himself,  when  it  seemed  so  much  more  his  duty  than  mine, 
and  when,  withal,  he  could  have  used  it  with  much  better  success  than 
I  can.  However,  I  will  bandy  no  more  words  with  my  brother,  but 
"  say  my  say,"  and  make  room  for  other  sons  of  this  ancient  town  — 
for  ancient  she  must  be  considered,  as  she  has  to-day  numbered  her 
hundredth  year  —  who  have  come  up  to  this  first  and  glorious  Century 
Festival  of  their  dear  native  town. 

I  rejoice,  sir,  to  see  this  day,  and  to  stand  here  in  this  goodly 
assemblage.  It  is  a  pious  labor  in  which  we  are  engaged.  It  is 
good  thus  to  scrape  away  the  dust  of  a  hundred  years  from  around 
the  first  stone  our  fathers  planted  here,  to  consecrate  it  anew  with 
our  prayers  and  joys  and  tears  and  hopes,  and  to  twine  about  it  fresh 
garlands  of  our  love  and  veneration,  for  those  who  so  nobly  com- 
menced the  good  work  which  their  not  degenerate  sons  have  so  suc- 
cessfully carried  on.  If  they  who  have  rested  from  their  labors  have 
any  cognizance  of  human  affairs  —  and  for  one  I  believe  they  have  — 
surely  they  must  look  upon  this  scene  with  a  high  and  holy  satisfac- 
tion, and  count  the  tears  and  toils  and  sacrifice,  the  story  of  which 
has  been  so  eloquently  told  us  to-day,  a  small  price  compared  with 
the  blessings.  And  when,  sir,  a  hundred  years  hence,  you  and  I 
and  all  of  us  here  shall  long  have  ceased  from  life,  and  other  genera- 
tions gather  on  this  spot  and  search  for  this  same  old  altar-stone,  and 
consecrate  our  memories  who  forgot  not  the  planters  of  it,  may  there 
be  no  cause  for  a  shadow  on  our  brow,  as  from  our  high  estate  — 
Heaven  grant  we  reach  it  —  we  look  down  upon  and  bless  them, 
our  children's  children's  children,  in  their  filial  work. 

Allusion  has  been  made,  by  my  brother,  in  answer  to  the  senti- 
ment which  called  him  up,  to  the  support  which  the  clergy  have"  ever 
received  from  the  laity  of  Wilton.  My  own  experience,  Sir,  goes  to 
confirm  his  remark.  It  may  be  said  of  all  places,  that  a  judicious 
and  successful  ministry  greatly  depends  on  the  character  of  the  min- 
istered unto,  and  that  if  they  be  what  they  should,  the  ministry  will 
be  blessed.  Eminently  is  the  truth  of  this  last  assertion  proved  in 
displace,  as  the  concurrent  testimony  of  those  who  have  held  the 
sacred  office  here  will  show.  If  I  may  be  permitted  to  allude  to  the 
brief  years  which,  as  the  religious  teacher  of  the  people  who  worship 
in  this  ancient  house,  I  passed  here  —  a  period  1  must  say  on  which  I 


36 

reflect  with  as  much  pleasure  as  upon  any  other  equal  period  of  my 
life,  and  which  owed  its  brevity  to  a  dispensation  of  Providence,  which 
robbed  me  of  my  health,  and  left  me  no  alternative  but  to  rest  a  dead 
weight  upon  the  parish  or  to  leave  it  —  I  say,  if  I  may  be  permitted 
to  refer  to  my  own  experience  on  this  point,  every  hour  of  my  min- 
istry here  afforded  evidence  of  the  readiness  and  ability  with  which 
every  measure  which  I  proposed  for  the  improvement  of  our  condi- 
tion, was  seconded  and  sustained  by  my  people,  who,  better  than  any 
other  I  ever  knew,  understood  and  appreciated  the  sacred  office.  I 
rejoice  to  bear  this  public  testimony  to  their  great  forbearance  and 
faithfulness.  Ever  shall  I  have  occasion  to  remember  it  while  I  live. 
The  vision  of  that  scene,  which  ordinarily  met  my  eye,  when  I  walked 
down  this  aisle  at  the  close  of  the  forenoon  service,  comes  up  as  fresh- 
ly before  me  as  if  it  were  yesterday.  These  venerable  benches  and 
the  venerable  men  who  occupied  them  —  I  see  them  all.  I  allude 
to  the  Sunday  School,  a  blessing  our  fathers  had  not;  and  their  sons 
are  grateful  for!  Who  were  the  teachers  of  that  school?  Your- 
self, sir,  at  the  head,  and  others  nearly  as  old  as  yourself — your  com- 
peers in  one  of  the  humblest  and  yet  the  most  glorious  work  that 
ever  engaged  the  able  head  and  warm  heart  of  man.  I  see  you  still, 
in  yonder  pew,  with  a  band  of  young  men  and  maidens  around  you  — 
and  I  see  many  of  them  here  to-day,  matrons  and  sires  —  hanging  on 
your  words  of  instruction  with  as  much  and  deep  interest  as  those 
words  were  spoken.  What  a  relief  was  this  to  my  wearied  frame. 
What  a  helping  of  my  infirmities.  What  a  seconding  of  my  own  fee- 
ble efforts.  Sir,  you  and  1  have  cause  for  gratitude ;  for  some  of 
those  young  men  and  maidens  are  now  among  the  most  hopeful  pil- 
lars and  beauteous  stones  of  this  Christian  temple.  And  not  only 
you,  sir,  but  many  others  who  are  this  day  here,  and  one*  alas ! 
not  here,  whose  memory  has  been  so  touchingly  and  properly  alluded 
to  this  day,  and  of  whom  I  dare  not  trust  myself  to  speak.  And 
indeed,  sir,  it  would  be  far  more  difficult  to  say  who  were  not,  than 
who  were  the  helpers  of  my  joy,  during  my  brief  sojourn  among  you. 

I  trust  I  may  be  excused  for  so  much  that  may  seem  personal  and 
exclusive  on  such  an  occasion.  But  it  is  all  "  a  family  concern ;" 
and  I  doubt  if  there  be  a  true  son  of  Wilton  who  does  not  rejoice  to 
hear  any  other  and  every  other  son  spoken  of  in  free,  frank,  hearty, 
fraternal  love. 

And  here  are  other  "  men  of  God  "  before  us,  who  have  minis- 

*  Samuel  Abbot,  Esq. 


87 


tered  at  other  and  more  recently  consecrated  altars  in  this  place; 
and  I  doubt  not  their  experience  attests  the  truth  of  the  sentiment  I 
have  endeavored  to  support,  that  the  clergy  of  Wilton  have  owed 
their  success  as  much  to  the  co-operation  of  their  parishioners  as  to 
their  own  zeal  and  talents  and  learning. 

I  wish,  Mr.  President,  to  say  one  word  on  another  topic  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  clerical  profession.  Time  was  when  the 
minister  was  approached  with  awe,  —  when  he  was  regarded  as  the 
dictator  to  conscience,  and  the  arbiter  of  all  questions  of  faith ;  and 
whatever  he  said  and  did  was  acquiesced  in  because  said  and  done  by 
him.  It  is  not  so  now ;  great  changes  have  taken  place  —  and  for  the 
better?  Ay,  sir,  for  the  better.  If  freedom  of  thought  and  the  re- 
searches to  which  its  cultivation  has  led,  be  better  than  a  blind  submis- 
sion to  fallible  teaching,  then  it  is  for  the  better,  and  not  for  the  worse. 
Behold  some  of  the  results ;  a  more  enlightened  ministry,  and  a  fuller 
investigation  of  truth  on  the  part  of  the  laity ;  Sabbath  Schools,  Bible 
Classes,  and  like  institutions  ;  increase  of  biblical  knowledge,  and  a 
wider  application  of  it  to  the  interests  of  practical  life.  And  is  not 
this  better  1  Not  that  we  lack  nothing.  Far  from  it.  The  day  is 
but  growing  into  light ;  but  is  not  even  this,  sir,  better  than  the  faint 
rays  of  the  morning  star  ?  But  the  meridian  shall  come,  and  no  human 
power  shall  hinder  it,  for  freedom  is  as  the  path  of  the  righteous 
growing  brighter  and  brighter  unto  the  perfect  day. 

And  never  could  even  the  present  measure  of  light  have  come,  with 
the  pulpit,  —  the  chief  engine  in  the  great  work  of  man's  redemption, 
after  the  voice  of  Him  whom  we  love  and  honor  as  our  Saviour,  — 
with  the  pulpit,  I  say,  so  hedged  around  with  superstitious  fear,  that 
the  people  dared  not  examine  for  themselves.  Let  the  pulpit  be  free  ; 
but  let  him  who  stands  in  it  yield  to  the  demand  of  the  people  for 
the  reasons  of  what  he  utters.  Let  the  humblest  layman  be  encour- 
aged to  examine  all  he  says  —  not  indeed  in  a  captious  or  fault-find- 
ing spirit,  but  yet  with  freedom.  I  would  not  depreciate  my  office. 
I  deem  it  the  most  honorable  ever  yet  conferred  on  man.  It  is 
enough  that  it  is  of  divine  ordination.  But  I  would  invest  it  with  no 
false  glory  or  sacredness.  I  know  and  feel  that,  if  it  be  pure  and 
free,  and  kept  so  by  him  who  fills  it,  both  it  and  he  will  command 
the  respect  and  love  of  all  good  and  thoughtful  men. 

The  press,  sir,  in  our  land,  is  doing  much  for  truth,  but  the  living 
voice  far  more.  I  would  rather  every  press  in  the  land  were  broken, 
than  that  every  living  voice  were  hushed.     In  our  courts  of  justice, 


88 


our  halls  of  science  and  learning,  our  state  and  national  councils,  our 
common  schools,  and  last  and  greatest,  our  churches,  in  these,  the 
living  voice  teacheth  ;  and  with  a  power  which  vice  and  ignorance 
and  tyranny  can  never  withstand.  To  all  this  the  press  is  a  helper  ; 
and  I  respect  and  honor  it  as  such.  But  I  have  placed  the  pulpit  at 
the  head,  because,  from  my  soul,  I  believe  that  to  it,  more  than  to  any 
thing  and  all  things  beside,  do  we  owe  the  civil  and  religious  bless- 
ings of  this  day.  When  the  press  was  dumb,  and  no  legislator 
dreamed  of  stemming  the  tide  of  error  which  swept  over  Christendom, 
bearing  before  it  every  vestige  of  liberty  and  truth  —  it  was  then,  sir, 
that  the  pulpit  spoke,  and  in  such  tones  that  monarchs  and  tyrants 
trembled,  and  the  dead  bones  moved  and  came  into  life  again,  and 
rose  to  freedom  and  to  truth.  And  ever  since  hath  it  spoken,  and 
ever  since  hath  its  voice  been  heard,  and  pondered,  and  respected. 
And  ever,  hereafter,  so  long  as  learning,  and  prudence,  and  inde- 
pendence, and  zeal,  and  a  sincere,  fervent  piety  shall  clothe  its  min- 
isters, will  it  speak  and  be  heard ;  for  it  utters  the  voice  of  God,  as  it 
spake  through  his  Son,  and  still  speaks  through  his  faithful  mes« 
sengers. 

Before  sitting  down,  Mr.  President,  I  beg  permission  to  offer  the 
following  sentiment. 

An  enlightened  and  devoted  Ministry  and  a  co-operating  People. — The  sure 
pledge  of  success,  and  the  true  idea  of  the  Christian  Church. 

The  following  sentiments  were  furnished  by  Augustus  Greele,  Esq., 
of  New- York. 

The  past  and  present  Clergymen  of  Wilton, —  Their  influence, —  that  of  the 
early  and  latter  rain.  Good  seed  strown  on  good  ground  brings  forth  fruit,  some 
an  hundred-fold,  some  sixty,  and  some  thirty. 

The  Town  of  Wilton, —  It  has  been  one  hundred  years  planting  the  seeds  of 
Industry,  Morality,  and  Virtue, —  may  the  coming  century  return  her  an  abundant 
harvest  in  the  Intelligence,  Prosperity,  and  Happiness  of  her  inhabitants. 

7th  Toast.  The  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Wilton,  —  Be  they  comets  or  planets, 
fixed  stars  or  shooting  stars,  the  centripetal  force  will  sometimes  bring  them  har- 
moniously together;  the  cycle  is  one  hundred  years. 

[  The  Laughing  Glee,  sung.] 

8th  Toast.  Lord  Brougham.  — "  The  Schoolmaster  abroad,"  teaching  Old 
England  the  lessons  of  New  England. 

[Song,  —  The  bright  rosy  morning.] 


89 


9th  Toast.     Our  Common  Schools,  —  How  changed  from  "  the  District  School 

as  it  was." ■  Memorus  Wordwell,"*  the  renowned  speller,  is  no  longer  perched 

on  the  green  wood  pile,  to  spell  his  classmate  Jonas. 

Rev.  Warren  Burton  responded :  —  t 

Mr.  President,  —  In  addition  to  the  allusions  which  I  have  already 
made  to  particular  persons  and  circumstances  in  my  school  experi- 
ence, I  would  say  a  few  words  concerning  my  first  schoolmaster. 
There  are  many  here  who  have  most  pleasant  and  grateful  recollec- 
tions of  the  same  individual,  and  their  hearts  I  doubt  not  will  fully 
respond  to  the  slight  eulogium  I  may  offer. 

My  earliest  impressions  about  a  "  minister"  were,  that  he  was  the 
most  awful  being  in  the  world.  Next  to  him  the  schoolmaster,  judg- 
ing from  what  I  had  heard,  appeared  to  my  imagination  awful  above 
all  others.  With  what  profound  dread  was  it  then,  that  I  took  my 
way  for  the  first  time  to  the  winter  school ;  for  the  awful  schoolmas- 
ter whom  I  was  to  meet  was  no  other  than  the  still  more  awful  min- 
ister—  that  great,  tall  man,  dressed  in  black,  who  preached  and  prayed 
in  such  solemn  tones  on  the  Sabbath.  How  my  heart  failed  me  and 
how  my  little  frame  trembled  as  I  entered  the  school-house  door. 
But  how  different  was  my  experience  from  what  I  anticipated.  That 
awful  man  received  me  with  so  sweet  a  smile  and  spoke  in  such  ten- 
der tones,  and  in  all  things  treated  me  and  all  the  rest  so  gently,  that 
my  feelings  were  at  once  changed  to  those  of  confidence  and  love. 
Never  shall  I  forget  the  delightful  impressions  which  this  near  in- 
tercourse made  on  my  tender  mind.  Never  after  that  did  I  see 
him  in  the  pulpit  with  any  other  than  feelings  of  respectful  affec- 
tion. He  too  fitted  me  for  college,  and  through  all  my  earlier 
life,  my  mind  received  good  influences  from  him.     His  benignant 

*  See  the  "  District  School  as  it  Was,  —  by  one  who  went  to  it."    By  Rev.  War- 
ren Burton, 
t  To  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  :  — 

Gentlemen,  —  I  comply  only  in  part  with  your  request  for  a  sketch  of  my  re- 
marks at  our  late  delightful  celebration.  The  first  portion  of  them  excited  much  more 
merriment  than  any  thing  humorous  in  them  really  deserved,  but  they  were  of  a 
character  suited  only  to  the  circumstances  and  the  effervescence  of  the  occasion, 
and  not  to  the  permanence  of  print.  The  latter  portion,  likewise,  I  hardly  deem 
worthy  of  record.  But  my  reminiscences  of  an  early  and  venerated  friend,  I  think, 
may  be  agreeable  in  perusal  to  many  of  the  audience,  and  the  publication  will 
perhaps  be  doing  some  slight  justice  to  one  who  contributed  not  a  little  to  the  im- 
provement of  our  native  town.  Respectfully  yours, 

Warren  Burton. 

12 


90 

countenance  and  gladdening  smile  will  be  among  the  last  images 
that  will  fade  from  my  remembrance.  This  good  man  was  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Beede.  It  is  a  name  that  will  excite  pleasurable 
recollections  in  many  bosoms  here.  All  such  will  award  to  him 
with  me  his  just  due  in  regard  to  the  interests  of  education  in  this 
town.  He  did  not  go  on  exactly  in  the  old  ways  in  his  capacity 
as  a  schoolmaster.  He  introduced  new  subjects  of  attention  and  ex- 
cited an  uncommon  interest  among  his  pupils.  To  him,  also,  as  an 
examiner  of  the  schools,  they  owed  much.  And  your  Lyceum,  sir, 
which  has  continued  to  flourish  to  a  degree  beyond  the  fortune  of 
similar  institutions  in  most  towns,  may  trace  its  origin  and  prosperity 
somewhat  perhaps  to  the  spirit  generated  by  this  excellent  man.  He 
established  a  Lyceum  in  this  town  many  years  ago,  as  early  as  1815  or 
'16,  I  think.  Lyceum  was  a  name  not  in  popular  use  then,  and  the 
society  alluded  to  was  not  so  called.  It  was  denominated  the  "  Wil- 
ton Literary  and  Moral  Society,"  and  its  objects  were  similar  to 
those  of  your  present  association  under  a  different  name.  The  mem- 
bers of  this  early  Society  consisted  of  young  gentlemen  and  ladies, 
and  there  were  a  few  mere  boys  like  myself  at  the  time,  who  had  a 
literary  taste,  such  as  to  admit  them  to  companionship  with  their  su- 
periors. We  met  al  first,  once  a  week  or  fortnight,  at  Mr.  Beede's 
house,  and  then  in  a  parlor  in  the  Buss  House,  as  it  used  to  be  called. 
We  should  have  been  lost  in  the  spaciousness  of  a  hall.  There  our 
revered  Pastor  presided  over  us  under  the  title  of  Instructer,  if  I 
rightly  remember.  We  discussed  literary  and  moral  questions  orally 
or  by  writing.  Indeed,  subjects  were  given  out  at  each  meeting  to  be 
written  upon  against  the  next,  and  read  before  the  Society  and  then 
put  into  the  hands  of  the  Instructer  to  be  corrected.  These  were  to 
me,  and  I  doubt  not  to  the  rest,  delightful  meetings.  Impulses  were 
there  given  which  in  the  chain  of  causes  must,  I  think,  have  been  of 
valuable  consequence.  I  rejoice  that  I  have  this  opportunity  of  re- 
viving the  recollections  of  some  and  informing  the  minds  of  others 
concerning  this  first  Lyceum  of  our  town  —  the 

Wilton  Literary  and  Moral  Society.  —  Pleasantly  remembered  is  it  on  its  own 
account  —  and  gratefully  as  well  as  pleasantly  on  account  of  him  who  established 
and  presided  over  it. 

[Song,  —  The  Schoolmaster.] 

10th  Toast.  Our  good  Mother  Massachusetts,  —  Who  christened  us  by  the 
name  of  Salem-Canada.  Though  changed  our  name,  our  relation  to  her  is  not 
forgotten.     Loved  and  honored  be  the  native  home  of  our  fathers. 


91 


Jos.  Hale  Abbot,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  responded:  — 

Mr.  President,  —  I  shall  not  trespass  upon  your  patience  by  at- 
tempting to  make  a  long  speech,  but  the  sentiment  just  offered  con- 
tains an  allusion  which  induces  me  to  ask  a  moment's  attention 
to  a  document  referred  to  by  the  orator  of  the  day,  and  now  in 
my  possession,  which  seems  of  sufficient  importance  to  deserve  a 
few  words  of  explanation  at  the  present  time.  It  is,  sir,  probably 
the  oldest  document  extant  relating  to  this  town,  and  it  makes  us 
acquainted  with  one  of  the  earliest  of  that  series  of  measures,  by 
which  these  pleasant  hills  and  valleys  have  been  reclaimed  from  the 
wild  beasts  and  savages  of  the  wilderness,  and  transformed  into  the 
abode  of  industry,  intelligence,  and  virtue.  The  copy  of  it  which  I 
hold  in  my  hand,*  I  took,  through  the  courtesy  of  the  Secretary  of 
State,  from  the  Records  of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  at 
Boston,  on  Monday  last.  It  is  dated  June  19,  1735,  and  is  a  vote 
upon  "  A  Petition  of  Samuel  King  and  others,  who  were  in  the  ex- 
pedition to  Canada  in  the  year  1690,  and  the  descendants  of  such  of 

*  Extract  from  the  Records  of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  dated 
Thursday,  June  19,  1735. 

SALEM    CANADA. 

A  Petition  of  Samuel  King  and  others,  who  were  in  the  expedition  to  Canada 
in  the  year  1690,  and  the  descendants  of  such  of  them  as  are  dead,  praying  for  a 
Grant  of  Land  for  a  Township,  in  consideration  of  their  or  their  ancestors'  suffer- 
ings in  the  said  Expedition. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives :  Read  and  Voted  that  the  prayer  of  the 
petition  be  Granted  And  that  Mr  Samuel  Chandler  and  Mr  John  Hobson 
together  with  such  as  shall  be  joined  by  the  Honble  Board,  be  a  Com"*  at  the 
Charge  of  the  Government  to  lay  out  a  Township  of  the  Contents  of  Six  miles 
Square  and  west  of  the  Narragansett  Town  called  number  three,  and  that  they 
Return  a  Plat  thereof  to  this  Court  within  twelve  months  for  Confirmation ;  and 
for  the  more  effectual  bringing  forward  the  settlement  of  the  said  new  town, 
Ordered  the  Said  Town  be  laid  out  into  Sixty  three  equal  Shares,  one  of  which  to 
be  for  the  first  settled  minister,  One  for  the  ministry,  and  one  for  the  school ;  and 
that  on  each  of  the  other  Sixty  shares  the  Petitioners  do  within  three  years  from 
the  Confirmation  of  the  Plan  have  settled  one  Good  family,  who  shall  have  a  house 
built  on  his  Home  Lott,  of  eighteen  feet  square  and  seven  feet  stud  at  the  least, 
and  finished ;  that  each  Right  or  Grant  have  six  acres  of  land  brought  to  and 
ploughed  or  brought  to  English  Grass  and  fitted  for  mowing.  That  they  settle  a 
learned  orthodox  Minister  and  build  and  finish  a  Convenient  meeting  house  for 
the  public  worship  of  God ;  provided  that  in  Case  any  of  the  Lotts  or  Rights  are 
not  duly  settled  in  all  Regards  as  aforesaid,  then  such  Lott  with  the  Rights 
thereof  to  Revert  to  and  be  at  the  Disposition  of  the  Province. 

In  Council  Read  and  Concurred,  and -Samuel  Wells,  Esq.,  is  joined  in  the  affair. 


92 


them  as  are  dead,  praying  for  a  Grant  of  Land  for  a  Township,  in 
consideration  of  their  and  their  ancestors'  sufferings  in  the  3aid  Ex- 
pedition." 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Massachusetts,  at  the  time  of  the  date  of 
this  petition,  included  within  her  territorial  limits  the  present  State  of 
New  Hampshire,  and,  both  on  that  account  and  because  most  of  the 
original  settlers  of  this  town  were  natives  of  that  State,  she  may  with 
great  propriety  be  called,  as  she  is  in  the  sentiment  to  which  I  am 
permitted  to  respond,  "Our  good  Mother."  With  what  judgment 
and  fidelity  she  discharged  the  duties  of  the  maternal  relation  this  doc- 
ument bears  honorable  witness.  In  accordance  with  the  prayer  of  the 
petitioners,  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  ordered  a  committee 
to  be  appointed  to  lay  out  a  town  six  miles  square,  under  the  name  of 
"  Salem-Canada,"  and  to  divide  it  into  sixty-three  shares,  reserving 
"  one  share  for  the  first  settled  minister,  one  for  the  ministry,  and 
one  for  the  school."  The  grantees  are  required  "  to  settle  a  learned 
orthodox  minister,  and  build  and  finish  a  convenient  meeting-house 
for  the  public  worship  of  God."  Compare  this  ample  provision  for  edu- 
cation and  religious  instruction  with  what  was  deemed  an  adequate 
provision  for  the  physical  comfort  of  the  first  settlers ;  a  house  small- 
er than  many  single  apartments  in  the  dwellings  of  the  present  inhabit- 
ants, viz.  "  eighteen  feet  square  and  seven  feet  stud,"  which  each  peti- 
tioner was  required  to  build  within  three  years  after  the  confirmation  of 
the  plan  returned  by  the  Committee  to  the  General  Court.  Who  can  fail 
to  perceive  how  justly  "our  good  Mother"  appreciated  the  superior 
claims  of  the  mind  and  heart  above  those  of  the  body,  and  with  what 
foresight  and  wisdom  she  sought  the  true  and  lasting  welfare  of  her 
children  ?  What  monarch  or  state  can  contest  with  her  the  glory 
of  setting  the  first  example  of  making  legal  provision  for  the  educa- 
tion and  religious  instruction  of  the  hardy  pioneers,  who  go  forth  to 
subdue  the  wilderness  and  extend  the  domains  of  civilization  ?  And 
how  much  to  her  wise  policy  in  this  respect  is  New  England  indebted 
for  the  intelligence  and  virtue  that  distinguish  its  inhabitants ! 

This  document  is  interesting  in  another  point  of  view.  It  con- 
nects the  first  settlement  of  this  town  with  one  of  the  most  remarka- 
ble events  recorded  in  the  early  history  of  New  England,  the  expedi- 
tion under  the  command  of  Sir  William  Phips,  undertaken  in  1690, 
by  the  Province  of  Massachusetts.  Its  object  was  the  conquest  of 
Canada,  as  a  means  of  securing  the  Colonies  against  the  frequent  in- 
cursions of  the  Indians  at  the  instigation  of  their  French  allies.     In 


93 


that  expedition  many  of  the  petitioners  were  personally  engaged. 
They  who  recollect  the  disasters  that  attended  the  ill-fated  enterprise, 
disasters  of  war,  disasters  by  fire,  by  tempest  and  by  plagoe,  and  also 
the  courage  and  fortitude  with  which  they  were  endured,  will  not  be 
slow  to  acknowledge,  that  to  have  voluntarily  braved  its  dangers  and 
sufferings  argues  in  the  petitioners  no  small  share  of  that  courage  and 
energy,  which  fit  men  to  encounter  the  hardships  incident  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  early  settlers  of  the  wilderness,  and  which  they  have 
transmitted  to  not  a  few  of  their  descendants.  The  impoverishment 
of  the  Treasury  of  Massachusetts,  after  the  utter  failure  of  the  expedi- 
,  tion,  led  to  the  issue  of  bills  of  credit  to  pay  the  soldiers  and  to  defray 
the  other  expenses  that  had  been  incurred.  The  depreciation  of  these 
bills,  which  soon  took  place,  gave  to  the  soldiers  who  had  received 
them,  an  equitable  claim  for  further  remuneration.  Accordingly,  in 
repeated  instances,  grants  of  land  were  made  by  the  Legislature  of 
Massachusetts,  under  the  general  name  of  "  Canada,"  with  the  name 
of  the  town  prefixed  to  which  the  grantees  belonged.  It  is  to  be  pre- 
sumed, therefore,  that  the  signers  of  the  petition,  to  whom  the  north- 
ern part  of  Wilton  and  a  part  of  the  present  town  of  Lyndeborough 
were  granted  under  the  name  of  "  Salem-Canada,"  were  inhabitants 
of  Salem  and  its  vicinity.  I  beg  leave  to  offer  in  conclusion  this 
sentiment :  — 

The  People  of  Wilton,  —  May  they  ever  emulate  the  courage,  energy,  and 
patriotism  of  the  men,  who  were  rewarded  with  the  grant  of  Salem-Canada  for 
their  sufferings  in  the  cause  of  their  country. 


11th  Toast.  The  Orator  of  the  day, —  Though  long  gone  from  among  us,  he 
has  this  day  shown  himself  a  true  son  of  Wilton,  and  well  acquainted  with  its 
history. 

Rev.  E.  Peabody  responded  ; 

Mr.  President,  —  I  believe  that  it  is  deemed  proper  that  a  toast 
should  be  responded  to.  After  having,  however,  1  fear,  more  than 
wearied  out  the  most  generous  patience,  I  shall  not  venture  this  after- 
noon to  lay  an  additional  tax  upon  it.  I  would  only  say  with  refer- 
ence to  the  sentiment  with  which  I  have  been  honored,  that  it  requires 
but  little  of  filial  virtue  in  the  sons  of  Wilton,  however  far  distant  or 
long  absent  they  may  be,  to  remember  their  native  place.  For  what 
have  they,  or  rather  what  have  they  not,  to  remember.  Here  are  the 
hills  and  streams  on  which  their  eyes  first  opened  ;  here  were  the 
schools  and  religious  institutions  and  the  examples  of  wise  and  good 


94 


men  to  whose  influence  in  early  youth  they  owe  all  that  they  now 
have,  which  they  most  prize  and  cherish  ;  here  were  their  early  com- 
panions, now  widely  scattered  or  no  longer  among  the  living  ;  here 
were  the  friends  of  their  parents,  and  here  too  perhaps  are  their 
parents'  graves.  If  the  spot  consecrated  by  the  affections  is  home, 
then  here,  however  far  they  may  have  wandered,  must  their  home 
continue  to  be.  When  we  revisit  these  scenes,  we  still  claim  the 
privilege  of  saying  that  we  return  home.  And  when  we  number  our 
own  blessings,  we  count  among  the  greatest  of  them,  the  fact  that 
here  we  had  our  birth,  and,  however  unworthy  our  after  lives  may 
have  proved,  that  amidst  the  good  influences  and  institutions  of  this 
place  we  received  our  first  direction  in  the  path  of  life. 

Permit  me,  Mr.  President,  to  give  a  sentiment  in  which  every  emi- 
grant son  of  Wilton  will,  I  know,  join  me. 

Wilton,  our  birth-place,  —  The  home  of  early  years  and  ever  the  home  of 
grateful  memories. 

12th  Toast.  The  Emigrants  of  Wilton  —  dispersed  far  and  wide  —  though 
not  all  this  day  with  us,  yet  they  are  of  us ;  our  good  wishes  attend  the  absent, 
and  to  the  present  we  give  our  "  welcome  home." 

[Song.  —  The  Boatman's  Welcome  Home.] 

Remarks  of  Rev.  A.  A.  Livermore,  of  Keene. 

Mr.  President, — It  is  pleasant  to  be  so  cordially  welcomed  home ; 
yet  there  is  one  painful  feeling  which  the  emigrant,  as  well  as  the 
resident,  finds  it  difficult  to  suppress.  A  name*  has  more  than  once 
been  mentioned,  which  touches  a  cord  in  every  heart.  And  though 
remarks  have  already  been  made  upon  him,  who  is  thus  brought 
freshly  and  sadly  to  mind,  I  may  be  permitted  to  dwell  upon  the  sub- 
ject a  little  longer.  Indeed,  there  would  be  something  wanting  to  the 
solemnities  of  this  day,  if  he  who  looked  forward  to  it  with  so  much 
interest,  and  was  so  deeply  engaged  in  preparing  for  its  observance, 
should  be  passed  by  in  silence,  or  with  only  a  hasty  notice.  And 
yet  I  feel  that  his  character  cannot  be  set  forth  truly  in  any  words  I 
can  speak,  but  that  it  has  long  ago  been  written  in  the  fleshly  tables 
of  your  hearts,  and  engraved  in  durable  lines  upon  your  memories 
and  sympathies.  For  he  was  known  and  read  of  all  men,  and  he  is 
canonized  in  the  affections  of  his  friends  and  fellow-townsmen.  He 
just  lived  to  complete  the  first  century  of  this  town,  and  then  by  a 

*  Samuel  Abbot,  Esq. 


95 


sudden  and  dreadful  death  was  removed  hence.  As  we  commemo- 
rate the  past,  and  enter  upon  a  new  epoch,  it  is  good  for  us  to  medi- 
tate upon  his  life,  for  the  lessons  it  teaches  are  suggestive  and  beau- 
tiful. 

He  was  a  good  representative  and  embodiment  of  Wilton  charac- 
ter. In  enumerating  the  elements  of  his  mind,  you  would  find  the 
traits  for  which  this  people  have  been  most  distinguished.  More 
than  any  other  son  of  the  place  that  has  deceased,  he  might  probably 
be  taken  as  the  fruit  and  expression  of  the  last  century's  doings  and 
gainings  in  this  humble  town.  Ingenuity,  integrity,  thoroughness, 
public  'spirit,  simplicity,  liberality  and  piety  were  blended  together  in 
him,  and  for  these  traits  the  people  have  been  notable.  But  in  him  there 
was  no  predominance  of  one  over  another,  so  as  to  mar  the  propor- 
tion, but  all  were  harmoniously  combined  ;  so  that  you  could  not 
say,  here  is  too  much,  and  there  too  little,  but  that  all  is  good  and 
fair.  In  his  manners  he  was  simple  and  unassuming ;  never  obtruding 
himself,  but  rather  shunning  notice  ;  gentle  and  attentive  to  all.  In 
conversation,  rich  and  original,  bringing  into  play  the  strength  of  a 
refined  intellect,  the  varied  stores  of  science,  literature  and  religion, 
and,  with  a  keen  zest  for  truth,  a  deep  vein  of  humor.  In  mind,  acute, 
logical,  thorough  and  intensely  active.  In  business,  prudent,  ener- 
getic, economical,  just,  and  of  a  wise  forecast.  In  knowledge,  ac- 
curate, varied,  and  profound.  As  an  inventor,  remarkable  for  his 
power  of  reducing  abstract  principles  in  science  to  an  easy,  practical 
application.  As  a  citizen,  public  spirited,  and  ready  to  sacrifice  pro- 
perty and  popularity  for  the  good  of  society  ;  foremost  in  every  use- 
ful enterprise,  a  friend  of  education,  lyceums  and  libraries,  watching 
with  a  deep  attention  over  the  young,  and  taking  the  liveliest  interest 
in  their  intellectual  and  spiritual  culture.  As  a  Christian,  firm  and 
decided  in  his  own  belief,  but  charitable  in  his  opinions  towards 
others,  fruitful  in  good  works,  unblemished  in  life,  an  observer  of  the 
ordinances,  and  a  strong  upholder  of  the  institutions  of  the  gospel. 
Tenderly  attached  to  his  friends,  social  in  his  feelings,  he  was  the 
joy  and  enlivener  of  the  domestic  circle.  But  why  need  I  describe 
what  many  feel  and  know.  He  has  gone,  and  for  him  to  die  was 
gain.  But  the  tears  of  a  whole  town  bore  witness  how  much  he  was 
loved  and  respected,  how  deeply  mourned.  All  felt  that  the  com- 
munity was  bereft  of  one  of  its  noblest  men.  Tet  all  has  not  per- 
ished with  him.  Though  dead,  he  yet  speaketh.  His  virtues  will 
inspire  many  hearts,  and  kindle,  as  with  electric  touch,  the  souls  of 


96 


his  fellow-men.     He  lived  not  to  himself,  nor  has  he  died  to  himself. 
Peace  be  to  his  bright  and  holy  memory ! 

But,  sir,  it  is  well  to  ask  here,  whence  and  how  came  he  and  such 
as  he  ?  What  has  made  Wilton  what  it  is,  New  England  what  it  is? 
Was  it  a  chance  culture,  an  accidental  education,  that  developed  the 
minds  and  characters  of  the  last  century,  and  changed  one  unbroken 
wilderness  into  a  highly  civilized  land,  and  reared  the  noblest  insti- 
tutions of  the  world?  No.  There  was  a  cause.  And  we  ought  to 
learn  it,  and  ponder  upon  it.  I  say  there  is  a  caus3  for  the  virtue, 
and  activity,  and  happiness  of  our  people.  And  that  cause,  I  hesitale 
not  to  say,  lies  here.  The  people  of  this  community  have,  with  few 
exceptions,  been  trained  up  in  happy,  virtuous,  holy  homes.  We  sat, 
in  infancy  and  youth,  in  heavenly  places,  and  rich  influences  brooded 
over  our  pliant  spirits  as  dew  upon  the  tender  plant. 

True,  here  in  New  England,  and  especially  here  in  Wilton,  Nature 
has  lavished  her  fairest  scenes,  and  breathed  from  the  Most  High  the 
breath  of  life  into  our  souls.  Yes,  blessed  be  these  hills  and  valleys 
for  the  choice,  sweet  influences  they  have  shed  upon  the  young 
communities,  springing  up  here.  Blessed  be  these  granite  moun- 
tains, that  stand  like  vast  citadels  of  safety  around  the  blue  ring  of 
the  horizon,  and,  gilded  by  the  glories  of  the  setting  sun,  carry  up 
the  thoughts  to  sublimity  and  God.  Blessed  be  the  fair  skies  which 
bend  over  us  here  with  all  their  sparkling  hosts  of  light  and  glory. 
Blessed  be  the  pure  breezes  which  sing  from  the  northwestern  hills, 
and  bear  health  and  exhilaration  on  their  wings.  But  thrice  blessed 
be  our  homes.  Our  homss,  where  love  and  happiness  wove  a  charm 
and  a  spell  for  our  hearts,  never,  never  to  be  unloosed.  There 
"  heaven  lay  about  us  in  our  infancy."  The  blue  sky  was  more  dear 
to  us,  because  it  arched  proudly  over  the  cherished  roof  of  home. 
The  sun  and  wind  and  rain  and  snow  were  loved  because  they  brought 
their  treasures  and  laid  them  at  the  feet  of  our  sanctuary.  The  for- 
ests and  vales  and  roaring  brooks  have  been  sweet  in  association 
from  this  great  central  attraction. 

And  what  made  our  homes  in  this  great  wilderness  so  happy  and 
genial  —  so  fitted  to  tempt  forth  both  heart  and  mind,  and  develope 
the  elastic  energies  of  a  free  people  ?  I  will  name,  sir,  two  things, 
not  because  they  are  the  only  two,  but  because  they  are  the  most  im- 
portant—  Woman  and  Religion. 

Much  has  been  said  of  the  part  woman  played,  or  rather  worked, 
in  the  grand  drama  of  these  settlements.     But  the  theme  is  an  inex- 


97 


haustible  one.  What  would  have  been  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  without 
the  Pilgrim  Mothers  ?  Shaggy  barbarians  of  the  woods.  But  woman 
came  to  cheer  and  refine  the  rude  settlers.  She  bravely  dared  the 
terrors  of  the  wilderness  to  plant  the  pleasant  amenities  of  social  life 
in  the  log  cabin.  She  forded  rivers  and  penetrated  forests  to  come 
hither.  She  came  to  dwell  under  the  shades  of  the  vast  and  savage 
woods.  Her  employments  were  humble,  but  her  aims  lofty.  "  She 
looked  well  to  the  ways  of  her  household,  and  ate  not  the  bread  of 
idleness."  Through  long  days  and  sleepless  nights,  she  watched  over 
her  tender  children.  And  when  distant  labors,  or  still  worse,  the 
trumpet  of  war,  summoned  her  husband  away  from  her  side,  she 
steadily  plied  her  lonely  tasks,  watching  his  return,  or  learned, 
dreadful  news,  that  he  would  return  no  more  forever.  We  have  often 
read  of  the  horrors  of  the  wars  of  that  period,  and  got  by  heart  the 
story  of  the  labors,  dangers  and  sufferings  of  our  forefathers.  It 
would  be  unjust  to  forget  that  those  who  staid  at  home  often  en- 
dured far  more  than  those  who  braved  the  flaming  lines  of  battle  — 
far  more  in  heart-sickness,  hope  deferred,  hope  destroyed,  and  all 
the  nameless,  haunting  terrors  of  the  deep  woods,  where  the  wild 
beast  and  wilder  Indian  were  their  only  neighbors  for  miles  and 
miles.  But  why  need  I  say  more  1  The  subject  has  already  been 
anticipated.  I  will  only  say,  let  us  never  forget  what  heroic,  much- 
enduring  woman  has  done  for  the  happy  homes  of  New-England. 

But,  sir,  there  was  another  agent  that  helped  to  make  us  what  we 
are  as  a  people,  that  consecrated  our  homes  as  holy  places,  and 
nerved  our  fathers'  and  mothers'  hearts  to  do  and  dare  nobly.  It  was 
religion.  They  brought  with  them  the  word  of  God  as  the  ark  of 
their  safety,  the  shechinah  of  the  Divine  presence  and  favor.  Morn- 
ing and  evening  they  offered  praise  to  heaven  from  their  forest  dwell- 
ings. The  house  of  God  gathered  them,  from  near  and  far,  weekly 
to  pay  their  adorations  to  the  Great  Guardian  of  their  exposed  lives, 
and  hallow  their  mihds  with  the  influences  of  the  Sabbath  and  the 
sanctuary.  Every  thing  around  and  within  them  tended  to  keep 
alive  their  sense  of  dependence  on  God,  and  their  value  of  the  gospel 
of  Jesus.  Endangered,  tempted,  weary,  suffering,  alone,  they  looked 
to  the  source  of  comfort  and  strength,  and  found  rest  and  courage 
and  patience  unto  the  end.  With  them  religion  was  first,  religion 
last,  and  religion  midst.  Other  lands  may  boast  richer  soils,  other 
climates  may  be  more  bland,  other  mountains  may  yield  more  ipre- 
cious  minerals,  other  skies  may  shine  with  softer  hues,  but  where 

13 


98 


shall  we  look  for  homes  as  pure  and  religious,  as  free  and  happy  as  in 
our  dear  New  England  ?  These  have  been  the  glory  of  the  past  cen- 
tury ;  they  are  the  hope  of  the  new  one.  Woman  and  religion  have 
made  them  what  they  have  been  ;  they  alone  can  make  them  what 
they  ought  to  be.  Guard  well  our  homes  from  evil,  and  our  nation 
is  girded  round  about  with  a  munition  of  rocks,  and  a  wall  of  fire. 
Permit  me  to  offer  this  sentiment. 

The  Homes  of  Wilton,  —  Endeared  by  woman,  sanctified  by  religion  ;  foun- 
tains of  living  waters,  which  made  the  wilderness  and  solitary  place  glad,  and  the 
desert  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose. 


Remarks  of  Rev.  Samjuel  Barrett,  of  Boston. 

Mr.  President,  —  1  feel  grateful  for  the  kind  word  from  the  chair 
inviting  me  to  address  the  meeting ;  but  at  so  late  an  hour  when 
many  of  our  friends  must  be  thinking  of  their  homes,  and  after  every 
topic  appropriate  to  the  occasion  seems  to  have  been  touched  upon 
by  one  or  another  of  those  who  have  already  spoken,  it  ought,  no 
doubt,  to  occur  to  me,  and  indeed  it  does,  that  the  best  thing  I  could 
do  would  be  to  offer  a  brief  sentiment  expressive  of  my  hearty  good 
wishes,  and  then  sit  down. 

Nevertheless,  I  will  venture  to  avail  myself,  for  a  few  moments,  of 
the  opportunity  afforded  me  ;  and  the  more  readily,  because  1  think 
our  revered  mother,  whose  hundredth  year  we  are  celebrating,  deserves 
a  little  more  commendation  than  she  has  yet  received,  and  because, 
being  but  an  adopted  son,  I  may  feel  at  liberty  to  say  some  things 
respecting  her  good  qualities  which  one  of  her  own  offspring  might, 
from  a  delicate  sense  of  propriety,  be  reluctant  to  utter. 

My  first  words,  Mr.  President,  must  declare,  as  fitly  they  should, 
the  grateful  feelings  1  cherish  towards  the  inhabitants  of  Wilton,  — 
from  no  one  of  whom  did  I  ever,  during  the  whole  period  of  my  resi- 
dence here,  receive  any  other  than  tokens  of  good  will,  and  to  not  a 
few  of  whom  I  am  indebted  for  acts  of  great  kindness.  And  in  this 
connexion,  let  me,  as  my  heart  prompts,  make  respectful  and  affec- 
tionate mention  of  him  who  ministered  at  this  altar,  both  when  I 
came,  a  little  child,  to  the  town,  and  when,  in  early  manhood,  I  left 
it  —  of  him  who,  on  the  spot  where  I  now  stand,  poured  upon  my 
head  the  sacred  waters  of  baptism,  from  whose  hands  I  received  for 
the  first  time  the  elements  of  the  holy  communion,  and  to  whom  as 
pastor,  instructer  and  friend,  I  was  for  many  years  under  obligations 
that  cannot  be  cancelled.     When  my  brother,  who  preceded  me,  pro- 


99 


nounced  the  name  of  Beede,  and  spoke  of  the  services  he  rendered  to 
the  children  and  youth  of  his  flock  in  the  early  period  of  his  minis- 
try, many,  very  many,  I  am  sure,  were  the  hearts  in  this  assembly, 
which,  with  mine,  responded  most  feelingly  and  gratefully,  and  sent 
up  the  prayer  that  his  last  days  might  be  his  happiest. 

And  now,  sir,  while  my  thoughts  are  recurring  to  the  advantages 
enjoyed  here  when  I  was  a  boy,  let  me  dwell  a  little  on  two  of  the 
many  institutions,  highly  creditable  to  this  town.  Lyceums,  as  all 
know,  are  the  boast  of  recent  times,  far  and  wide.  Thanks  to  my 
brother  before  alluded  to,  for  noticing  as  he  did  the  one  that  existed 
here,  though  under  another  name,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  Well 
do  I  remember  all  the  initiatory  steps  that  led  to  its  formation,  and  it 
was  my  privilege  to  be  present  at  its  first  meeting.  It  is  very  pleasant 
to  me  to  see  so  many  to-day,  who  were  among  its  earliest  members, 
and  who  can  testify  to  the  satisfaction  and  improvement  derived  from 
its  exercises.  For  one,  I  shall  ever  be  thankful  for  the  benefit  I  re- 
ceived from  it ;  and  I  rejoice  to  know  that  its  salutary  influences 
have  not  ceased  to  be  felt  by  others.  Nor  is  it  less  gratifying  to 
me  to  learn  that  the  Lyceum,  as  re-organized  in  1830,  proved  inter- 
esting and  useful  as  well  to  the  older  as  to  the  younger  classes  of  this 
community,  and  that,  as  now  conducted,  it  is  an  instrument  of  great 
good.  Sunday  schools  too,  as  every  one  is  aware,  have  for  many  years 
been  regarded  with  high  favor  in  all  parts  of  our  country.  You,  sir, 
need  not  be  told,  though  others  may,  that  one  was  in  successful  opera- 
tion in  this  town  so  long  ago  as  1816.  I  now  see  before  me  one  of 
the  two  ladies*  who  had  the  principal  agency  in  establishing  it. 
Where,  in  the  United  States,  was  there  a  Sunday  School  at  an  earlier 
date  —  one,  I  mean,  designed  for  the  children  of  the  parish  indis- 
criminately, and  having  for  its  main  object  their  moral  and  religious 
culture?  If  any  would  know  how  well  it  was  conducted  at  that 
period,  let  me  refer  him  to  the  orator  of  the  day,  for  he  was  a 
pupil.  And  as  regards  the  school  at  the  present  time,  it  delights 
me  to  hear  that  it  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  having  on  its  list, 
notwithstanding  the  formation  of  two  others  in  the  town,  the  names 
of  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  thirty  pupils  and  teachers,  and  pos- 
sessing a  remarkably  well  selected  library  of  four  hundred  volumes. 
May  the  Sunday  Schools  never  cease  to  be  objects  of  deep  interest 
to  this  whole  people. 

*  Miss  Sarah  W.  Livermore  and  Miss  Phebe  Abbot. 


100 

It  would  give  me  pleasure,  sir,  to  say  something  of  other  means  of 
intellectual,  moral  and  religious  culture,  enjoyed  here,  as  for  instance, 
the  three  Churches,  the  ten  Public  Schools,  the  Temperance  Society, 
the  Sunday  noon  Reading  Room,  the  Ministerial,  Parish  and  Juvenile 
Libraries ;  but  I  pass  them  all  by  for  the  sake  of  having  a  moment's 
time  to  suggest  the  inquiry,  —  deserving  attention  especially  from  the 
young,  upon  whom  the  future  character  of  the  town  will  so  much  de- 
pend,—  whether  it  is  not  owing  to  considerations  of  the  kind  just 
noticed,  far  more  than  to  any  and  every  other  cause,  that  we  find  the 
occasion  on  which  we  have  now  met,  one  of  such  high,  unmingled 
satisfaction?  Or  to  give  the  question  a  general  bearing,  —  what,  in 
the  view  of  reason  and  common  sense,  to  say  nothing  of  Christianity, 
is  the  best  ground  of  one's  pride  and  joy,  as  he  thinks  of  the  place 
where  he  was  born  or  bred  ?  Is  it  that  the  landscape  around  is  more 
beautiful  to  look  upon,  or  the  air  is  purer  and  more  invigorating,  or 
its  soil  is  more  fertile,  or  its  hills  and  valleys  are  covered  with  more 
numerous  flocks,  or  its  water- falls  move  a  greater  amount  of  ma- 
chinery, or  its  houses  rise  in  larger  numbers  and  more  showy  mag- 
nificence, or  its  inhabitants  multiply  faster  and  grow  rich  more  rap- 
idly, than  can  be  the  boast  of  other  places  1  Oh  !  no,  sir.  These, 
and  like  considerations,  though,  when  connected  with  others  of  a 
higher  order,  they  help  to  strengthen  the  regard  one  feels  for  his  native 
town,  yet  do  not,  in  any  proportionate  degree,  excite  and  nourish  his 
love  and  respect  for  it,  as  do  its  intelligence,  its  morality,  its  piety  — 
as  do  those  traits  of  character  in  its  inhabitants  which  ennoble  and 
adorn  our  nature.  No,  sir.  Physical  advantages,  of  whatever  sort, 
are  not  to  be  compared  with  those  of  an  intellectual,  moral  and  reli- 
gious kind  ;  and  therefore  one's  feeling  of  attachment  to  his  old 
home  is  most  elevated  and  best  founded  only  when  the  mind  that  is 
there  is  free  and  active,  and  knowledge  abounds ;  when  the  heart 
that  is  there  is  pure  and  alive,  and  noble  sentiments  prevail ;  when 
public  opinion  is  on  the  side  of  truth  and  virtue  and  piety,  and  the 
affairs  of  the  town  are  conducted  in  uprightness  and  for  the  common 
good,  and  the  influences  of  a  useful  education  are  to  be  traced  through- 
out society,  and  the  people  are  liberal  in  support  of  the  schools,  and 
the  temples  of  God  are  the  resorts  of  devout  multitudes  who  in 
rational  and  fervent  homage  acknowledge  their  dependence  and  obli- 
gations. 

Whenever  such,  sir,  is  the  condition  of  a  town,  who,  whether  he 
be  emigrant  or  resident,  does  not  and  ought  not  to  feel  very  deeply, 


./ 


f 


101 


especially  at  a  time  like  this,  the  greatness  of  the  privilege  of  having 
had  his  birth-place  and  training  there  \  Who  must  not  be  elevated 
with  sentiments  of  self-respect,  of  gratitude,  of  joy,  as  he  dwells  on 
the  blessing  of  such  an  allotment? 

Now,  Mr.  President,  will  you  allow  me  the  liberty  to  say,  that  such 
in  most  respects,  is  the  town  in  which  we  have  met  on  the  present 
occasion.  Let  not  the  passing  stranger  smile  as  if  any  thing  said  in 
praise  of  Wilton ;  hilly,  rocky  Wilton ;  containing  but  forty -five  inhab- 
itants to  the  square  mile ;  without  stage-coach  or  post  office,  even 
so  recently  as  when  most  of  us  were  entering  upon  mature  life ;  having 
now  but  one  doctor  and  no  lawyer ;  and,  what  some  may  deem  a  still 
greater  deficiency,  not  a  drop  of  rum  to  be  bought  at  its  centre ;  — 
let  not  the  stranger  smile,  1  say,  as  if  any  thing  said  in  praise  of  such 
a  town,  must  needs  partake  of  exaggeration.  Sir,  let  me  tell  him, 
that,  on  these  steep  hills,  in  these  narrow  valleys,  by  the  side  of  these 
rocks,  there  grow  up  noble  men  and  noble  women.  And  for  his 
better  satisfaction,  let  him  be  assured  that  I  do  not  speak  ignorantly 
on  this  subject.  Though  not  a  native  of  the  place,  yet  I  was  very 
young  when  my  parents  brought  me  to  it ;  for  ten  years  I  lived  here 
constantly ;  during  the  next  ten  years  I  felt  that  my  home  was  in  this 
town  more  than  in  any  other  ;  and  ever  since,  I  have  been  kept  ac- 
quainted with  the  habits  of  the  people  almost  as  much  as  if  I  had 
continued  to  reside  in  it.  Besides,  —  pardon,  sir,  this  egotism,  for  it 
is  indulged  in  with  good  intent,  —  my  opportunities  for  comparing 
this  with  other  communities  have  not  been  very  limited.  It  has  fallen 
to  my  lot  to  sojourn,  more  or  less,  in  most  sections  of  New-England ; 
and  recently,  this  very  season,  I  have  made  a  journey  four  thousand 
miles  south  and  west,  have  travelled  in  fifteen  of  these  United  States, 
have  visited  forty  cities  and  I  know  not  how  many  towns ;  —  and 
now,  after  all  I  have  seen,  I  am  free  to  declare,  that,  in  my  opinion, 
it  would  be  difficult  to  find  within  the  borders  of  the  land,  another 
spot  of  territory,  possessing  no  greater  natural  advantages,  that  sur- 
passes—  I  might,  perhaps,  say,  equals  —  this,  as  regards  those  quali- 
ties of  character  in  the  inhabitants,  which  truly  deserve  the  respectful 
consideration  of  the  wise  and  good.  —  Of  course,  no  one  will  under- 
stand me  as  speaking  thus  of  all  the  dwellers  here,  indiscriminately. 
In  this  town,  as  in  others,  —  sorry  am  I  to  say  it,  —  there  are  individ- 
uals, who,  if  noticed  at  all,  must  be  spoken  of  in  terms  of  reproach. 
Nevertheless,  in  what  other  community,  I  confidently  ask,  are  excep- 
tions of  this  sort  less  frequently  to  be  met  with  ?     Where  are  fewer 


102 


persons  to  be  found  voluntarily  ignorant  or  wilfully  idle  or  studiously 
perverse  ?  Where  are  the  burdens  growing  out  of  pauperism  and 
crime  lighter  to  be  borne  than  here  1  What  people,  as  a  whole,  more 
industrious  and  independent,  or  more  sober-minded,  orderly,  peaceful 
and  exemplary  ?  What  people  more  generally  intelligent,  moral  and 
religious  ?  In  what  town  do  a  greater  proportion  of  the  inhabitants 
devote  their  leisure  to  useful  reading  and  elevated  thought  ?  Where 
are  schools  better  supported,  or  churches  better  attended  ?  Where 
are  the  prevailing  customs  of  the  people  less  exceptionable,  or  their 
recreations  and  amusements  more  in  accordance  with  reason  and 
good  sense?  And  as  touching  the  great  cause  of  Temperance, 
where,  except  here,  and  perhaps  a  very  few  other  places,  could  a  cen- 
tennial celebration,  like  this,  be  gotten  through  with  without  the  aid 
of  strong  drink  1  *  Moreover,  sir,  what  town  in  the  Union,  of 
equal  population,  ever,  in  the  same  number  of  years,  sent  so  few 
of  her  sons  to  prison,  or  so  many  to  college  ?  In  a  word,  what  soil 
of  like  means  and  facilities  for  the  cultivation  of  human  minds  and 
hearts,  is  trodden  by  men  and  women  of  better  character,  or  covers 
the  remains  of  more  virtuous  dead  1 

God  knows,  Mr.  President,  my  purpose  in  saying  these  things  has 
not  been  to  please  the  inhabitants  of  Wilton  ;  had  such  been  my  ob- 
ject, I  should  have  chosen  another  method  of  effecting  it,  —  aware  as 
I  must  have  been  that  their  characteristic  sense  of  modesty  would  be 
offended  rather  than  gratified  by  bald  commendation,  offered  in  their 
presence.  But  I  wished, —  and  in  the  motive  is  my  apology, —  I  wished, 
by  pointing  out  some  of  the  intellectual,  moral,  and  religious  habits  and 
privileges  of  the  town,  and  thus  fixing  attention,  for  a  moment,  on  the 
true  causes  of  the  gratitude  and  joy  we  all  so  deeply  feel  to-day,  to 
remind  this  community,  particularly  the  youthful  portions  of  it,  of  their 
high  responsibleness  and  many  obligations  ;  —  the  youthful  portions  of 
it,  I  repeat,  for  to  them  I  meant  chiefly  to  speak  ;  —  yes,  to  you, 
young  men  and  young  women  of  Wilton  —  to  you,  upon  whom  it  will 
depend,  in  so  great  a  degree,  whether  or  not,  this,  your  native  town,  so 
honorably  distinguished  in  the  past,  and  so  richly  furnished  now, 
shall  go  forward,  henceforth,  through  another  century  of  years,  im- 
proved and  improving,  in  what  deserves  and  gains  the  respect  and  love 
of  the  wise  and  good  among  men,  and  what  God,  from  his  holy  hea- 
vens, looks  down  upon  with  the  smiles  of  his  approbation. 

*  No  ardent  spirits,  nor  even  wine,  were  used  on  the  occasion. 


103 


Mr.  President,  I  beg  pardon  for  having  occupied  so  much  time,  at 
this  late  hour,  and  close  with  offering  the  following  sentiment : — 

The  good  people  of  Wilton,  —  Ever  may  the  highest  objects  of  their  ambition 
be  the  worthiest  distinctions  alike  of  individuals  and  communities,  to  wit,  intel- 
ligence, piety,  and  VIRTUE. 


In  making  up  the  foregoing  account  of  the  proceedings,  we  acci- 
dentally omitted  to  insert  one  of  the  regular  toasts,  viz. :  — 

"  The  Miller  Chiards,  —  if  called  to  the  field  of  their  country,  may  their  motto 
be,  « I  '11  try,  sir.'  " 

As  regards  the  various  performances  of  the  singing  choir,  the 
effect  of  which  was  so  delightful,  we,  of  course,  could  only  name 
them  in  the  order  in  which  they  occurred. 

At  intervals,  during  the  day,  the  audience  was  very  agreeably  en- 
tertained with  instrumental  music,  by  a  band  composed  chiefly  of 
members  belonging  to  the  neighboring  towns. 

It  may  not  be  wholly  without  interest  to  some  to  be  informed,  that 
with  the  above  exception,  nearly  all  who  contributed  to  render  the 
exercises  of  the  occasion  what  they  were,  are  natives  of  Wilton ;  and 
that  the  few  who  had  their  birth-place  elsewhere  either  are,  or  have 
been,  residents  in  the  place. 

We  have  only  to  regret,  that  several  sons  of  the  town  from  abroad 
were  prevented,  by  want  of  time,  from  giving  utterance  to  the  thoughts 
and  feelings  they  had  come  prepared  to  express. 

It  was  about  sunset  when  the  meeting  broke  up  ;  but  the  multi- 
tude had  been  made  too  happy  to  be  in  haste  to  depart.  Long  did 
many  of  them  linger  in  and  around  the  old  church,  collected  here  and 
there  in  groups,  conversing  now  on  the  high  satisfactions  the  day  had 
afforded,  now  on  one  and  another  of  the  many  affecting  scenes  of  for- 
mer years  brought  vividly  to  mind,  and  seeming  only  to  regret  that 
the  shades  of  evening  were  forcing  them  so  soon  to  separate,  and  that 
it  could  never  fall  to  their  lot  to  meet  on  such  an  occasion  again. 

God  grant,  that  the  impressions  of  that  blessed  day  may  be  lasting 
and  salutary,  and  that  all  of  us  may  so  seek  the  true  interests  of  our 
beloved  town,  as  to  cause  our  memories  to  be  precious  to  our  de- 
scendants who  shall  gather  themselves  together  at  its  Second  Centen- 
nial Celebration. 


"*% 


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